Improved and uninterrupted connectivity could increase the export of Bangladeshi products to India by 300 per cent, says The Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka, Pranay Verma.
“Studies indicate that seamless connectivity between India and Bangladesh has the potential to increase national income by 17 per cent in Bangladesh and 8 per cent in India,” he said.
The Indian envoy was speaking at a seminar titled “Multimodal Connectivity between India and Bangladesh” organised by Unnayan Shamannay at Bishwa Sahittya Kendra in Dhaka city.
Pranay Verma said India would like to get greater access to and from Bangladesh’s ports, inland waterways, and road links to optimise the connectivity between the two neighbouring countries.
He said New Delhi has already offered Bangladesh a number of options to use Indian ports, railways and airports to export goods to India and the rest of the world.”
“Just as we look to improve our connectivity of our north-eastern states through Bangladesh, we are also encouraging transit facilities for Bangladesh to export its product to third countries through specified land customs stations, airports and seaports in India,” he added.
As part of the plan, the high commissioner said that recently initiatives have been taken to make Kolkata and Delhi airports transshipment hubs for exporting cargo from Bangladesh to other countries.
Verma also mentioned that a bilateral agreement has been reached on the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports, whereby goods can be transported to India’s north-eastern region from the rest of India and vice versa through these two ports in Bangladesh.
“It will reduce the cost of transportation to our northeastern estates,” he added.
The envoy said the geographical proximity of India and Bangladesh is an advantage that should be leveraged for mutual benefit.
Better connectivity is needed for ease of doing business and ease of living, both of which are key priorities for India, he added.
Unnayan Shamannay Chairperson Dr Atiur Rahman presented the keynote paper at the seminar. Referring to World Bank research, Rahman, also a former governor of Bangladesh Bank, said that India’s trade with South Asian countries could more than triple from the present USD 19.1 billion per year to USD 62.4 billion per year, and Bangladesh’s trade with South Asian countries could more than double from the present USD 7.6 billion to USD 18.9 billion.
