Move on to carry Indian containers across Bangabandhu bridge
Saturday, 14 November 2009
A move is underway to carry goods-laden containers from India across the Bangabandhu Bridge over the river Jamuna to cut cost and time for imports from India, railway sources said, reports bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh Railway has made a "special request" to the communications ministry for permission to carry Indian containers over the Bangabandhu Bridge that connects the capital with the north.
Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Railway Md Belayet Hossain also reminded the government of securing railway transit facilities to carry goods from India to Nepal before approving the proposal.
The railway's request follows India's repeated demands for allowing its cargo-laden containers to reach Dhaka straight across the bridge from the three border railway stations at Benapole, Darsana and Rahanpur.
The stations are located on the western side of the multi-purpose bridge across the mighty Jamuna.
If the government permits the container coming to Kamalapur station, the cost of imports from India would come down, railway officials have said.
"We sent a letter to the ministry (communications) on November 10 for allowing us to carry the Indian containers over the Bangabandhu Bridge," Belayet Hossain, the railway chief, said last week.
Talking to the news agency at his office Thursday, he said, "We cannot carry the containers without the approval from the government inspector on railways, and the government as a whole," he said.
The government's railway inspector Abu Taher said Thursday that he was yet to receive any letter in this regard.
"We will examine the railway's proposal in line with the railway act and give our opinion to the government through the communications ministry," Taher said, adding, "But we will not allow anything against the interest of the people."
The railway DG said India proposed carrying four types of containers across the bridge, but his department found that two lighter models of containers would not cross the weight limit of the tracks on the bridge.
The railway tracks on the bridge can carry up to 4.6 tonnes of weight per metre distance. But out of the four types, two models of Indian containers have the weight load of 5.71 tonnes per metre.
"Therefore, we rejected those two heavier types of containers to be carried across the bridge," said Hossain.
If the government approves the proposal, the locomotives of Bangladesh Railway can carry the cargo-laden containers up to the railway depot at Kamalapur station in the capital.
The director general's letter mentioned that India at the inter-governmental railway meeting (IGRM) in March (6-8) 2007 had proposed carrying their containers across the bridge.
India again raised the issue at the next IGRM held in October 8-10 the same year in New Delhi. Bangladesh at the two meetings had requested the Indian authorities for transit facilities to carry goods to Nepal, but the issue remained pending.
At present, on an average, one cargo train from India enters Bangladesh everyday, according to railway sources.
Bangladesh Railway has made a "special request" to the communications ministry for permission to carry Indian containers over the Bangabandhu Bridge that connects the capital with the north.
Director General (DG) of Bangladesh Railway Md Belayet Hossain also reminded the government of securing railway transit facilities to carry goods from India to Nepal before approving the proposal.
The railway's request follows India's repeated demands for allowing its cargo-laden containers to reach Dhaka straight across the bridge from the three border railway stations at Benapole, Darsana and Rahanpur.
The stations are located on the western side of the multi-purpose bridge across the mighty Jamuna.
If the government permits the container coming to Kamalapur station, the cost of imports from India would come down, railway officials have said.
"We sent a letter to the ministry (communications) on November 10 for allowing us to carry the Indian containers over the Bangabandhu Bridge," Belayet Hossain, the railway chief, said last week.
Talking to the news agency at his office Thursday, he said, "We cannot carry the containers without the approval from the government inspector on railways, and the government as a whole," he said.
The government's railway inspector Abu Taher said Thursday that he was yet to receive any letter in this regard.
"We will examine the railway's proposal in line with the railway act and give our opinion to the government through the communications ministry," Taher said, adding, "But we will not allow anything against the interest of the people."
The railway DG said India proposed carrying four types of containers across the bridge, but his department found that two lighter models of containers would not cross the weight limit of the tracks on the bridge.
The railway tracks on the bridge can carry up to 4.6 tonnes of weight per metre distance. But out of the four types, two models of Indian containers have the weight load of 5.71 tonnes per metre.
"Therefore, we rejected those two heavier types of containers to be carried across the bridge," said Hossain.
If the government approves the proposal, the locomotives of Bangladesh Railway can carry the cargo-laden containers up to the railway depot at Kamalapur station in the capital.
The director general's letter mentioned that India at the inter-governmental railway meeting (IGRM) in March (6-8) 2007 had proposed carrying their containers across the bridge.
India again raised the issue at the next IGRM held in October 8-10 the same year in New Delhi. Bangladesh at the two meetings had requested the Indian authorities for transit facilities to carry goods to Nepal, but the issue remained pending.
At present, on an average, one cargo train from India enters Bangladesh everyday, according to railway sources.