A freight train with Moroccan fertiliser leaves Rohanpur Railway Station in Chapainawabganj yesterday for landlocked Nepal. This is the first time Nepal has been able to use Chittagong port, courtesy a decision by the prime ministers of India and Bangladesh.Photo: STARIn a major step towards regional connectivity, Bangladesh allowed transit of goods to Nepal from yesterday.
Two Indian wagon trains left the Rohanpur Railway Station here for Nepal with 2,389 metric tonnes of diammonium phosphate (DAP) imported from Morocco by Agriculture Import Corporation Limited of Nepal, said officials.
The trains will enter Raxul-Birganj of Nepal via Singabad in Malda district of India.
This is for the first time Bangladesh allowed Nepal to use the Chittagong port, river route and railway facility in line with a decision taken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh last year, they added.
According to the Joint Communiqué issued during Hasina's visit to India in January last year, Bangladesh agreed to give Nepal and Bhutan access to Chittagong and Mongla ports.
The two leaders also agreed to establish a broad gauge railway link between Rohanpur and Singabad for transit to Nepal. Besides, they also agreed allowing trucks from Bhutan and Nepal to enter about 200 metres into Bangladesh through Indian territories.
The imported DAP reached Chittagong port on May 17. Cargo boats carried it to Nowapara Railway Station in Jessore.
Bangladesh Railway brought forty-two Indian wagons up to Jessore and loaded the fertiliser in four days from July 10.
One train with 995.5 MT of fertiliser in 18 wagons and the other with 1,393 MT in 24 wagons returned to Rohanpur on Wednesday night and finally left for Nepal at 8:00am and 3:00pm respectively yesterday.
One lakh MT of DAP would be carried to Nepal through this route, Mohammad Shahidullah, station master of Rohanpur Railway Station, told The Daily Star.
Bangladesh and India have already permitted transit of 50,000 MT of DAP to Nepal, he noted.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on June 22 told parliament that the process of allowing Nepal and Bhutan to use Chittagong and Mongla ports to transport their goods to a third country through Bangladesh is close to the final stage.
Sunday, July 17, 2011 09:04 AM GMT+06:00 (120 weeks ago)
Very good news. Hope this expands to the entire SAARC region.
Sunday, July 17, 2011 10:23 AM GMT+06:00 (120 weeks ago)
Passage of the first train from Chittagong port to Nepal via Bangladesh-India, is a historical event in SAARC relations. It augers well fro development of trade and linking of economies of the member countries, and speaks highly of the leadership of Bangladesh and India, to allow trans border connectivity.
It is hoped that more such steps will be taken by the regional partners, for improving livelihood of their people, in a consultation with others, bi-laterally and regionally.
Sunday, July 17, 2011 05:52 PM GMT+06:00 (120 weeks ago)
Did the government of Bangladesh earn a single penny out of this ADVENTURE?
Monday, July 18, 2011 02:52 AM GMT+06:00 (120 weeks ago)
If we are given royalty for the port facilities and a handsome transit fee..why not?
Monday, July 18, 2011 02:55 AM GMT+06:00 (120 weeks ago)
This is of course a good decision that we are providing transit facilities to Nepal and Bhutan etc. Now we would like to know the fiscal benefit that it would bring for us. We remember in the past India after allowing transit to Nepal abruptly closed it after 15 minutes. We only hope this must not be a ploy to offer corridor to India . This may be a tactics of Hasina Govt to dodge us and go ahead to extend corridor to India in exchange of our sovereignty. She till date did not disclosed the pact that she has signed in Delhi. We will not tolerate any underhand deal with a foreign country compromising with our hard earned independence. Then there will be bloodshed in this country to get it rid of the self seeking traitors.