River Transport Protocol
India wants to use three more ports
The Indian authorities yesterday proposed Bangladesh to allow the country multi-modal transit facility in three more river ports under the river transport protocol.
The proposal came at a meeting on renewal of the existing waterway transport protocol between officials of the two countries at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the city yesterday.
Shipping Joint Secretary Mohammad Alauddin led the Bangladesh side while India's Shipping Joint Secretary MC Jauhari led the Indian side in the two-day long meeting, which concludes today.
A shipping ministry official said the Indian officials proposed for treating Narayanganj, Chandpur, and Chhatak ports as "ports of call" like Ashuganj river port.
The Indian authorities want to carry goods to Narayanganj and Chhatak river ports through waterways and they will carry those goods through roads after unloading at those ports, the shipping ministry official said requesting anonymity.
Both the sides thoroughly discussed the issue in the meeting, but could not take any final decision. An official who attended the meeting said they did not discuss anything related to fee for using the ports.
The shipping ministry official also said high level delegations of the both countries will discuss further to determine the fees soon.
The tenure of the existing waterways protocol between India and Bangladesh will come to an end March 31, which was signed in 1972. India has been enjoying the transit and transshipment facility under the protocol, which is renewed in every two years' gap.
Bangladesh agreed in principles to allow transit facility to India. A government committee on transit has already recommended different routes and transit fee to the government, said a commerce ministry official.
If India and Bangladesh could not determine the fees and routes within March 31, both the countries will have to extend the tenure of the existing protocol further, the official added.
In case of extension, the existing fees might also be increased for using the ports of Bangladesh by Indian vessels, the official said, adding that currently Bangladesh earn Tk 5.50 crore from India in a year as fee.
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