Bangladesh has asked India to explain how it plans to use Chittagong and Mongla ports under an agreement signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s maiden tour to New Delhi in January this year, officials said.
“We have asked for the Indian proposal explaining the modus operandi for using our Chittagong and Mongla ports,”said Mr Jahangir Alam, spokesman for Shipping Ministry.
He said Bangladesh has assured the Indian envoy that the ports were now ready for uses in line with the deal while under previous two separate deals, Bhutan and Nepal would also be allowed to use the facilities simultaneously.
In a related development, he said India offered to bear the finances for the reconstruction of a major land route to be used for carrying its heavy consignments under an earlier understanding.
The two countries in March this year signed a crucial transshipment agreement finalising an earlier deal to allow Indian goods to be transshipped to its isolated northeastern Tripura state through Bangladesh territory.
Shipping Secretary Mr Abdul Mannan Hawladar earlier said that under the agreement Bangladesh declared its Ashuganj as a new “port of call” for transport of Indian goods while New Delhi in a reciprocal step declared their Shilghat as port of call on the I ndian side.
“We have asked for the Indian proposal explaining the modus operandi for using our Chittagong and Mongla ports,”said Mr Jahangir Alam, spokesman for Shipping Ministry.
He said Bangladesh has assured the Indian envoy that the ports were now ready for uses in line with the deal while under previous two separate deals, Bhutan and Nepal would also be allowed to use the facilities simultaneously.
In a related development, he said India offered to bear the finances for the reconstruction of a major land route to be used for carrying its heavy consignments under an earlier understanding.
The two countries in March this year signed a crucial transshipment agreement finalising an earlier deal to allow Indian goods to be transshipped to its isolated northeastern Tripura state through Bangladesh territory.
Shipping Secretary Mr Abdul Mannan Hawladar earlier said that under the agreement Bangladesh declared its Ashuganj as a new “port of call” for transport of Indian goods while New Delhi in a reciprocal step declared their Shilghat as port of call on the I ndian side.