Pact
allows Indian equipment to move through Bangladesh
Wednesday December 01, 2010 11:37:15 AM ,
IANS
|
Dhaka:
A bilateral treaty signed between Dhaka and New Delhi will
facilitate the transport of Indian equipment to a power plant
being set up in India's Tripura state, abutting Bangladesh.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Bangladeshi and
Indian officials at the shipping ministry office here Tuesday, The
Daily Star newspaper reported.
This is the first ever multi-modal transit accord that Bangladesh
has signed, allowing access by land -- this was the norm during
the British era and till 1965.
India has been seeking from Bangladesh greater transit facilities
to reach its northeastern region.
The issue is a sensitive one here with the opposition parties
terming any transit to India as "a sell-out".
With this signing, Bangladesh implemented a clause of the 50-point
joint communique issued Jan 12 during Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina's visit to India.
India will not pay any fees or service charges for this transit
even though it would be using Bangladesh's rivers and roads.
However, it has agreed to provide Bangladesh Taka 255 million
($3.6 million) for the development of Ashuganj river port terminal
and provide 49 km of roads.
According to the MoU, Indian cargo will start from West Bengal's
Raimongal and enter Bangladesh at Angtihara and go up to Ashuganj
river port by inland waterways. The cargo would then be moved to
Akhaura on very large lorries pulling long trailers.
A total of 96 Over-Dimensional Cargoes (ODCs) will be carried for
the Palatana power project in Tripura. The plant would generate
726 megawatts.
Repair and renovation work of the Ashuganj port and road
construction will start this month and be completed by next
December.
The road from Ashuganj to Sonardi via Sarail, Brahmanbaria,
Sultanpur and Akhaura is too narrow for transporting large cargos
efficiently and it will be widened to 18 metres.
Chief Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department Azizur Rahman
and Senior Adviser and Director of ONGC Tripura Power Company R.K.
Madan signed the MoU.
The Indian company is a subsidiary of the Oil and Natural Gas
Commission (ONGC).
A.K. Hazarika, an ONGC official, said the Indian government is
investing Rs.45 billion ($984 million) in the plant and Rs.10
billion ($218 million) for the exploration of gas.
"This is a great help for India and we look forward to more help
from Bangladesh for the development of India's northeast region,"
he said before the signing.
The MoU stays valid until June 2012.
Replying to questions, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said India
would not pay any extra charges.
"Why will they pay charge twice? They are constructing the road
which we need urgently," he said.
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