The Agartala-Akhaura rail link is expected to be inaugurated by the end of this year, paving the way for the transhipment of Indian goods through Bangladesh.
Gangapuram Kishan Reddy, minister of tourism, culture and development of the North Eastern Region of India, on Wednesday inspected the Nischintapur railway yard, which will connect Tripura with Bangladesh’s Akhaura.
There will be an integrated checkpoint next to the Nischintapur railway yard that will connect travellers to the Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link station so they can take the train to Kolkata through Dhaka.
According to officials, the Agartala-Kolkata distance will be reduced by 11 hours with the opening of the Dhaka-Agartala rail link.
“The opening of this new international rail link project will not only ease the journey for the people of Tripura and the northeast but will also help the economy of other northeast states of India,” Reddy said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, who was attending the Third India-Japan Intellectual Conclave in Agartala yesterday, said the transhipment of Indian goods via Bangladesh would be fully operational on time.
When asked what he meant by on time, the state minister told Dhaka Tribune all preparations from the ministry side had been completed, and they are just waiting for a Statutory Regulatory Order (SRO) from the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Highlighting on various recent connectivity agreements between Bangladesh and India, as well as with Bhutan and Nepal, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said: “The aim objective of those agreements is to ensure fair regional transportation among the connecting countries and to ensure their own commercial interests.”
He also said the Indian goods transhipment through Bangladesh will be fully operational on time and the Chittagong port is ready with its full capacity.
Assam-based think tank Asian Confluence, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, the Bangladesh Mission in Agartala and the Embassy of Japan in India jointly organized the conclave.
Bangladesh and India are now at the final stage of operationalization of the agreement to use Chittagong and Mongla ports for transit of goods to and from India. The agreement was signed between Bangladesh and India in 2018 and it gained pace following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in 2022.
Following the completion of trial runs, a necessary permanent SRO or notification would need to be issued by the Government of Bangladesh for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under the agreement.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said: “Under this agreement between Bangladesh and India, two trial runs were executed and this route is going to become fully operational in on time. Chittagong port authority has all the necessary capacity to handle the goods in full swing.”
He also mentioned that an agreement had been signed to use inland water transit for transportation of goods from West Bengal to India’s seven eastern states through Bangladesh.
“The BBIN agreement was signed among India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal also. The aim of those agreements is to ensure fair regional transportation among the connecting countries, ensuring their own commercial interest,” the state minister added.
He also praised Japan’s support in the development of Bangladesh and termed India and Japan as two true friends of Bangladesh.
“Japanese investment in the region will indirectly accelerate the socio-economic development of the region as well as Bangladesh,” Khalid added. Asian Confluence Governing Council Member Riva Ganguly Das, High Commissioner of Bangladesh in India Mostafizur Rahman, Ambassador of Japan in India Hiroshi Suzuki, among others, gave speeches on connectivity issues.
