Dhaka ensures Delhi of bank guarantee over cargo consignment

Dhaka has agreed to ensure bank guarantee on each consignment of transit cargo going from mainland India to its north-eastern states through Bangladesh.

New Delhi Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 17 Nov 2015, 04:17 PM
Updated : 17 Nov 2015, 06:32 PM

The decision was taken at the shipping-secretary-level talks in New Delhi on Tuesday.

“As a gesture of goodwill and considering the existing friendly relations between the two countries, the Bangladesh government has decided to do away with the practice of insistence on bank guarantee for each consignment of transit cargo,” a government official told bdnews24.com.

The Indian delegation was led by Shipping Secretary Rajive Kumar and the Bangladesh delegation was headed by Shipping Secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi.

“I hope that the MoUs and agreement signed will result in enhanced and smooth movement of vessels and cargo between India and Bangladesh,” said Kumar.

Delhi has also agreed to a transit rate of Tk 192.22 per metric tonne in transhipment charges at Ashuganj for movement of goods to and from the north-eastern part of India.

“The Indian side has agreed on this rate charge with an option for a review if considered necessary in future,” the official said.

The official said a draft MoU on passenger and cruise services on coastal and protocol routes was initialled by the secretaries as a token of an agreement which will be formalised after approval by their governments.

To ensure an adequate draft in the upper reaches of the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route in Bangladesh, it was agreed that Bangladesh will submit a proposal to the World Bank for the dredging of rivers in Bangladesh, including the ones under the Protocol route.

“It was also suggested by the Indian side that since the submission of the proposal to the World Bank under IDA and its eventual execution may take some time, the Joint Technical Committee (JTC), as an interim measure, may identify and prioritise the route requiring dredging to achieve 2.5 metre LAD throughout the year and propose a suitable funding option within three months time,” the official said.

Both countries agreed that on receipt of this proposal, the funding, sharing and implementing mechanisms will be discussed.

“…This would ensure improved connectivity and promote trade and commerce between the two countries,” said Mehdi as he appreciated India’s efforts for the development of inland water transport and coastal shipping movements.