Bangladesh, India to boost efficiency at land ports

Bangladesh and India today decided to enhance cooperation in building infrastructure and operational efficiency at various land ports and check-posts located along their international border.
The decision was taken at the sixth subgroup meeting of the Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) with the Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA) in New Delhi.
The bilateral meeting aims to strengthen ties and discuss issues related to cross-border infrastructure, connectivity and facilitation of trade between the two countries, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
Among the major items of the meeting’s agenda were developing port facilities at Gede, (Darshna in West Bengal) and Bholaganj (Meghalaya), expediting clearance of Bangladesh’s export cargo at Petrapole (West Bengal) and Agartala, prioritising the development of land ports and integrated check-posts (ICPs) and considering a common cargo gate at Bhomra (Ghojadanga in West Bengal), the statement said.
The meeting also discussed facilitating the movement of Bangladeshi trucks carrying exports to Nepal and Bhutan through Burimari and Banglabandha ports in that country, operationalising the land port at Sabroom (Tripura), developing the Tegamukh (Bangladesh)-Kawrpuichhuah (Mizoram) port and establishing certain ports operational 24×7, it added.
“Building on the discussions held at the last subgroup meeting in Dhaka in November 2023, the meeting reviewed the progress made on the previous initiatives and identified new areas for cooperation to enhance infrastructure and operational efficiency at the land ports,” an Indian official statement said.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to “deepen” India-Bangladesh relations, enhance bilateral trade, and advance shared goals for regional connectivity and economic growth through “collaborative” border management, the statement said.
The Bangladeshi delegation at the meeting was led by BLPA Joint Secretary and Member (Development) Tahmina Yeasmin along with officials from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and ministries of industries and shipping, among others.
The Indian side was headed by LPAI Member (Planning and Development) Sanjeev Gupta with officials drawn from the border management division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Border Security Force (BSF), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and Customs, among others. End