Vessel Departs from Ctg Port Carrying Indian Transit Containers

A vessel named 'M/v Trans Samudera' on Wednesday left Chattogram Port carrying an Indian transit container transported from the Northeastern State of India Meghalaya, reports BSS.

This cargo movement is part of the trial runs under an agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla Ports for the transit of goods to and from India via Bangladesh territory, said an Indian High Commission press release here.

The agreement was signed between India and Bangladesh in 2018.

"This is a step forward in realizing the commitment reiterated at the level of the two Prime Ministers (Bangladesh and India) during the visit of the Hon'ble Premier of Bangladesh to India in September 2022," read the statement.

The trial run is being undertaken by Tata Steel and CJ Darcl Logistics on the route Dawki-Tamabil-Chattogram, it added.

The Indian high commission said the transit or transhipment of goods under the agreement would reduce both cost and time for transportation of goods to Northeastern States of India.

It will also create economic gains for Bangladesh's insurance, transport and finance industries as only local trucks will be used for transhipment, it added.

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, said the release.

During the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2019, a SOP was signed to operationalize 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 of each TMT steel and pulses, were delivered to ICP Agartala from Kolkata through Chattogram.

Today's trial run marks the completion of all trial runs on all approved routes under this agreement, said the Indian mission here.

Following this completion of the trial runs, it said, necessary permanent standing order or notification would now be issued by the Bangladesh government for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under this Agreement.