A total of 2, 0169,664 metric tonnes of goods were imported through the country’s land ports while 9, 35,442 metric tonnes were exported in the fiscal 2017-2018. This was informed at a meeting of parliamentary standing committee on shipping ministry with committee Chairman Major (Rtd) Rafiqul Islam in the chair at parliament complex in the city on Tuesday.
The meeting asked the concerned ministry and land port authorities to take effective measures in order to increase revenue earnings. According to the meeting sources, revenue earnings from the country’s land ports continued maintaining a steady rise in fiscal year 2017-18 (FY18) as these ports earned Tk 148.33 crore, up Tk 36.86 crore from fiscal year 2016-17.
However, the land ports authorities of Benapole, Burimari and Bhomra also spent Tk 95.53 crore during the period, sources said. Committee members State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Shajahan Khan, Md Mazharul Haque Prodhan, Ranjit Kumar Roy, Mahfuzur Rahman, Samil Uddin Ahmed Shimul, Md. Aslam Hossain Saudagar and SM Shahjada attended the meeting.
The meeting also discussed the overall activities of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC). Discussion on country’s land port authority also took place in the meeting. The meeting reviewed the overall activities of all land ports in the country and hoped that revenue income from those ports will increase with the rise in bilateral trade with neighboring India, Bhutan and Nepal following offering transit facilities to those countries.
The meeting was also informed about the international passengers’ terminal and bus terminal which constructed at Benapole land port. An infrastructure has also been developed to ensure India bound passengers’ position, safety and special arrangement for women and autistic people. The meeting was also informed that the country’s land port has been awarded Certificate of Merit by the World Customs Organisation in 2017 and 2019. A total of 41 commercial water vessel, 12 vessels and 53 water transports have been built to ensure safe journey. Apart from these, the committee asked the authorities concerned to construct jetties on the river banks.
