Faruk hopes India will be able to use Bangladesh ports
Friday, 21 August 2009
FE Report
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said neighbouring India can use the Bangladesh port facilities for transhipment of its goods.
"There is no concept such as 'my port or your port' in this free world," he said adding the day is not far when India will be able to use the Bangladesh ports for export and import purposes like Nepal and Bhutan.
"The issue of transit to India could be solved through bilateral discussion," the commerce minister said while talking to journalists after sending off the first consignment of 400 million bricks to Indian northeastern state of Tripura Thursday.
Commerce minister of Tripura Jitendra Choudhury was also present at the ceremony held on Bangladesh side at Akhaura-Agartola check post. Officials of both sides, including Tripura principal secretary, members of the parliament, leaders of Tripura and India- Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce were also present.
Faruk Khan said with the export of bricks the trade and business relation between Bangladesh and India would be further developed. The bilateral relations will be further strengthened through boosting trade, he added.
"If we have to stay together we have to help each other," he said. The commerce minister said the government will provide all kinds of cooperation through development of roads and offering customs and immigration facilities to improve trade relations with India.
Trade volume with Tripura is favourable to Bangladesh, he said adding that there is still scope to find new export avenues for reducing Bangladesh's large overall trade gap with India.
Speaking on the occasion, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Chakrabarty said the trade volume of India with South Asian countries is very low in comparison to its global trade. About trade gap accounting for more than $ 2 billion, Pinak said India is a large economy and Bangladesh cannot expect a neck-and-neck situation.
He also pointed out the trade and business relations between Bangladesh and India can be improved focusing on logistic services, which are now helping most of the economies to grow.
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan said neighbouring India can use the Bangladesh port facilities for transhipment of its goods.
"There is no concept such as 'my port or your port' in this free world," he said adding the day is not far when India will be able to use the Bangladesh ports for export and import purposes like Nepal and Bhutan.
"The issue of transit to India could be solved through bilateral discussion," the commerce minister said while talking to journalists after sending off the first consignment of 400 million bricks to Indian northeastern state of Tripura Thursday.
Commerce minister of Tripura Jitendra Choudhury was also present at the ceremony held on Bangladesh side at Akhaura-Agartola check post. Officials of both sides, including Tripura principal secretary, members of the parliament, leaders of Tripura and India- Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce were also present.
Faruk Khan said with the export of bricks the trade and business relation between Bangladesh and India would be further developed. The bilateral relations will be further strengthened through boosting trade, he added.
"If we have to stay together we have to help each other," he said. The commerce minister said the government will provide all kinds of cooperation through development of roads and offering customs and immigration facilities to improve trade relations with India.
Trade volume with Tripura is favourable to Bangladesh, he said adding that there is still scope to find new export avenues for reducing Bangladesh's large overall trade gap with India.
Speaking on the occasion, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Chakrabarty said the trade volume of India with South Asian countries is very low in comparison to its global trade. About trade gap accounting for more than $ 2 billion, Pinak said India is a large economy and Bangladesh cannot expect a neck-and-neck situation.
He also pointed out the trade and business relations between Bangladesh and India can be improved focusing on logistic services, which are now helping most of the economies to grow.