Bangladesh opens Chattogram, Mongla ports for trade with India.

A cruise service will be launched between Kolkata and Dhaka from March next year, an operator who will launch the service said recently.

The cruise operator, Exotic Heritage Group, has already booked the service for five years. Exotic heritage group already runs cruises on River Ganga. “The bookings are already done for five years,” Raj Singh, Group Chairman, Exotic Heritage Group, toldBusinessLine .

Singh said this on the sidelines of a conference where India and Bangladesh signed an agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla Ports in Bangladesh for movement of goods to and from India. Both the countries also decided to initiate river cruises services between Kolkata- Dhaka- Guwahati-Jorhat.

Both sides agreed to develop Jogighopa as a trans-shipment terminal for movement of cargo to Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Bhutan and notifying Munsiganj River terminal by Bangladesh Customs for routing third party Exim cargo through Kolkata Port.

Speaking to the media, Shipping Secretary Gopal Krishna said the move will strengthen trade ties between the two neighbours. “An addendum to Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT) between India and Bangladesh was also signed for inclusion of new ports Dhubri in India and Pangaon in Bangladesh,” said Krishna.

On December 3, the trade representatives from both countries will sort out the issues at a meeting in Kolkata, Chairman of Inland Waterways Authority Pravir Pandey, said.

Discussions were also held to make Nakugaon Land Port in Bangladesh and Dalu ICP in India operational and to connect Gelephu in Bhutan as tripartite cross border route.

Bangladesh shipping secretary Md. Abdus Samad expressed satisfaction with the present round of talks and said that the next round of talks is expected to be in December.

HBL