A vessel named ‘M/v Trans Samudera’ arrived in Chattogram Port on Tuesday carrying an Indian transit container to be transported to the Northeastern State of India (Assam) via the territory of Bangladesh.
This movement of cargo is part of the trial runs being undertaken for the operationalisation of the Agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla Ports for the transit of goods to and from India which was signed between Indian and Bangladesh in 2018. The trial run is being undertaken by Tata Steel and CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd. on the route Chattogram-Sheola-Sutarkandi.
There are eight approved routes for transit of goods under the Agreement, namely, Chattogram/ Mongla Port to Agartala via Akhaura, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Dawki via Tamabil, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Sutarkandi via Sheola, Chattogram/ Mongla Port to Srimantapur via Bibirbazar and vice versa on all four routes.
During the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2019, a SOP was signed to operationalise the Agreement. The first trial movement under this agreement on the route Chattogram-Akhaura-Agartala was successfully conducted in July 2020 wherein four containers, two each of TMT steel and pulses, were delivered at ICP Agartala from Kolkata through Chattogram.
The transit/transshipment of goods under this agreement will reduce both cost and time for transport of goods to Northeastern States of India.
It will also create economic gains for the Bangladesh logistics and services industry (Insurance, transport and Finance industry etc.) as only Bangladesh trucks will be used for transshipment.
In the coming few days, a trial run is expected to be done on the Dawki-Tamabil-Chattogram route which will mark completion of trial runs on all approved routes under this Agreement.
As per the understanding reached earlier this year between the two governments, necessary permanent standing order/notification would be issued by the government of Bangladesh after completion of these trials for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under this Agreement.