Gangasagar (Bangladesh) to Nishchintapur (India) rail line to be completed by Dec. 2021

[El Sidd]

dost hi dost ke kaam aata hai .

gidd murdar hi khata hai

 

[GHALIB]

who

canada me corona ka kya haal hai ?

 

[El Sidd]

canada me corona ka kya haal hai ?

Indian variant is wrecking everything in its path.

 

[GHALIB]

gidd murdar hi khata hai

environment ke liye achhi baat hai .

Indian variant is wrecking everything in its path.

aap ke kya haal hai , laga ya bach gaye ?

 

[El Sidd]

environment ke liye achhi baat hai .

what measures to harmonize the railway system and added traffic it expects with nature have been launched?
any study on environmental impact of this?

 

[GHALIB]

what measures to harmonize the railway system and added traffic it expects with nature have been launched?
any study on environmental impact of this?

gidd se rail par kood pare ?

 

[El Sidd]

gidd se rail par kood pare ?

yes it cuts into migration routes of the elephants

 

[GHALIB]

yes it cuts into migration routes of the elephants

modern day infrastructures are laid with consideration of wild lives , elephants / wildlife crossing are provided at those migration routes .

 

[STREANH]

This is the level of you idiots.

I find it interesting that the BD people living in the West are more butthurt about friendly IN-BD relations compared to the people living in BD. It's also weird that they are enjoying the benefits of the liberal western world but support more religious or radical groups/parties at home. It reminds me of Hindutva/RSS/Modi bhakts living in the West who are the same type of hypocrites.

 

[Riyad]

• Home
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Bangladesh-India connectivity: Passage through Tripura
25 March 2021

• JAYANTA BHATTACHARYA

The relationship between Bangladesh and Tripura is a long one; it is civilisational, historical, lingual, and cultural.

Parthajit Datta — AFP via Getty

This article is part of the series — India–Bangladesh Relations @50: Commemorating Bilateral Ties.
If Bangladesh is India-locked, Tripura is Bangladesh-locked — goes an adage in the region. The state is girded by the neighbouring country on three sides and shares a 856-kilometre-long border, constituting 85 percent of the state’s border. The relationship between Bangladesh and Tripura is a long one; it is civilisational, historical, lingual, and cultural. From time immemorial, the people of Tripura and the neighbouring country, Bangladesh, have shared their problems and prosperity.
Tripura was once a princely state that was ruled by the Manikya kings, who had their land tenure (Zamindari) in British-ruled ‘Chakla Roshnabad,’ a paragana or a division comprising Comilla, Noakhali and Sylhet region of East Bengal. [1] A huge amount of revenue was collected, which enriched the state coffers of Tripura. The kings also incentivised the peasants of East Bengal to pursue wet rice cultivation and also exported forest products like timber and bamboo.
From time immemorial, the people of Tripura and the neighbouring country, Bangladesh, have shared their problems and prosperity.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, Tripura had sheltered refugees from the other side of the border that surpassed its own population. The state was also the war headquarters of the liberation forces, from where they launched guerrilla attacks on the Pakistani armies in different parts of the then East Pakistan. In fact, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterated it while visiting the convocation programme of the Tripura University in January 2012. She recalled: “Tripura was in those days flooded with refugees, who were more than its own population. It was indeed a unique situation. Nevertheless, through the nine months of our liberation war, the people of Tripura and India stood by our side and helped selflessly the forsaken millions, giving them food, shelter and other basic necessities. Our freedom-fighters also received training and support on this side of the border, and eventually fought with our Indian friends to the final surrender of the occupation forces and liberation of Bangladesh on 16 December 1971. How can we not remember with gratitude our friends in need in Tripura and India?”
The relationship between India and her eastern neighbour Bangladesh has witnessed many ups and downs. After the tragic assassination of Bangabandhu Mujibur Rehaman on 15 August 1975 in a coup d’état, Bangladesh’s relationship with India deteriorated considerably as the regime that staged the coup and took over the reins of power was occupied by pro-Pakistani forces. Since then, the country witnessed many political upheavals and the forces that were against the spirit of the Bangladesh Liberation War were at the helm of affairs until the Awami League government, headed by Sheikh Hasina, took over as Prime Minister in 1996. Indeed, any political development on either side of the border, in one way or the other, impacts the bilateral relations of the two countries.
Tripura has gotten prime attention since the Indian government declared the Northeastern Region Vision in 2008 at Agartala.

It is worth noting that the Northeastern region, which is connected to the mainland of India by the 22-kilometre Siliguri corridor of West Bengal, is poverty-stricken, and the region’s backwardness is exacerbated by its landlocked geography, poor infrastructure, communication bottlenecks, and abridged natural trade route. This region is also known as one of India’s conflict zones, which has witnessed insurgency, ethnic strife and displacement of people throughout history. However, the scenario started changing from the last decade of the 20th century, when India adopted a trade liberalisation policy with its neighbours and incorporated the Look East Policy (now Act East Policy) into its foreign policy.
Tripura has gotten prime attention since the Indian government declared the Northeastern Region Vision in 2008 at Agartala, the capital town of Tripura, assuring better infrastructure and better connectivity within the region and with its neighbouring countries.
Connectivity can change the region
Connectivity has become a buzzword in India-Bangladesh relations in recent times. While visiting Bangladesh to prepare the ground work for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country, the Indian Foreign Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar, said that seamless connectivity between India and Bangladesh will change the entire geoeconomy of the region. The Bay of Bengal will look very different. He also mentioned that practical progress has been made on the ground such as conducting a trial run of container cargo through Chattogram Port to Agartala, adding two new protocol routes to inland waterways connecting Tripura to the national waterways, handing over 10 broad gauge (BG) locomotives, and forming a joint venture in the energy sector.
With the completion of the two connectivity projects — the Feni bridge connecting Sabroom, Tripura with Chittagong, Bangladesh and the Agartala–Akhaura rail line — Tripura would emerge as a well-connected state from a ‘landlocked’ one.

The inauguration of Maitri Setu over the Feni River by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 9 March 2021 is a landmark event between these two countries. With the completion of the two connectivity projects — the Feni bridge connecting Sabroom, Tripura with Chittagong, Bangladesh and the Agartala–Akhaura rail line — Tripura would emerge as a well-connected state from a ‘landlocked’ one. Tripura’s Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb laid the foundation stone for Tripura’s first-ever Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Sabroom, the southernmost town of the state bordering Bangladesh. He said that with the SEZ — around 120 kilometres from Agartala — would emerge as the commercial capital of the Northeast. He said that the Ministry of Commerce and Industries in December had given the approval for the SEZ, which would be set up at Jalefa in Sabroom subdivision with an investment of INR 635 crore. The SEZ would be focused on four sectors, including agro-based processing such as food processing, rubber, bamboo, and textiles. An integrated check post would also be set up for the smooth movement of passengers and goods.
It is expected that this SEZ would make Tripura a self-reliant state and will generate around 5,000 new jobs, and that the farmers and traders would benefit from it the most. The Agartala–Akhaura (Bangladesh) railway link, expected to be completed in September this year, will connect Gangasagar in Bangladesh to Nischintapur in India (10.6 kilometres) and then connect Nischintapur to Agartala railway station (5.46 kilometres) in India. India also plans to develop an integrated checkpost and cargo handling facility at Nischintapur — the junction point of Agartala-Akhaura rail link at Tripura. The Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region is bearing the cost of laying the track on the Indian side and the Ministry of External Affairs is bearing the cost on the Bangladeshi side. The new rail link will reduce the journey time between Agartala and Kolkata by passing through Dhaka instead of Guwahati. The travel time between Agartala and Kolkata will be reduced to 10 hours from the current 31 hours as it will travel a mere 550 km instead of 1,600. India and Bangladesh currently have four operational rail links between West Bengal and Western Bangladesh — Petrapole-Benapole, Gede-Darshana, Radhikapur-Biral, and Singhabad-Rohanpur. The last two are also notified for the use of Nepalese transit traffic. The present line will not only help people from Agartala but also those from Mizoram, which is 150 kilometers away.

The new rail link will reduce the journey time between Agartala and Kolkata by passing through Dhaka instead of Guwahati. The travel time between Agartala and Kolkata will be reduced to 10 hours from the current 31 hours as it will travel a mere 550 km instead of 1,600.

Tripura and Bangladesh has been recently connected through waterways. The inland waterways protocol route between the state and the neighbouring country was made operational on 5 September 2020, when Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb received a barge with a consignment of cement from Munshiganj in the neighbouring country. The 90-km long Sonamura-Daudkandi route, included in the list of Indo-Bangla protocol (IBP) routes, connects Tripura with the National Waterways of India through Bangladesh and is expected to boost trade. Presently, ships and steamers ply from Haldia in West Bengal to Daudkandi.
Tripura’s Maharaja Bir Bikram airport would be the third international airport in the landlocked Northeastern region after its new terminal is completed by this year. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has stated that Rs 438 crore was invested to complete the project. After completion of the new project, flights between Agartala and Dhaka, as well as the other cities like Chittagong and Sylhet, would be operated. Agartala is connected through roads and bus between Dhaka–Agartala road plies every day.
After all the projects are made operational, the land-locked Tripura would be a well-connected state through roads, railways, water and by air through Bangladesh

 

[Nyayadhikari]

It is naive to assume that India isn't paying anything for this rail link. Our governments aren't transparent enough to put everything out in public domain.

 

[Riyad]

It is naive to assume that India isn't paying anything for this rail link. Our governments aren't transparent enough to put everything out in public domain.

India is paying 1000 cr for the project. The Bangladesh part is funded by India's external ministry. India's part is funded by NE India development board.

 

[Riyad]

OP-ED: Strengthen land ports to boost India-Banglade


OP-ED: Strengthen land ports to boost India-Bangladesh economic connectivity
Riya Sinha
Published at 09:22 pm August 9th, 2021
border truck
Photo: DHAKA TRIBUNE

Land border connectivity remains vital to India-Bangladesh economic relations


On August 8, India exported 1,320 tons (approx. $378,000) of wheat to Bangladesh through its Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Agartala in the border state of Tripura.

The Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) reported this as the largest ever consignment that has crossed ICP Agartala.

This development in trade was made possible due to the growing outreach between India and Bangladesh for improving connectivity.


During Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's visit to Bangladesh in March 2021, both countries had agreed to upgrade the land border crossing infrastructure.

In addition, PM Modi had requested that at least one major land port between both countries be free of port restrictions, starting with the ICP at Agartala.

Land border connectivity remains vital to India-Bangladesh economic relations.

Bangladesh is now India's fifth-largest trading partner, and approximately 75% of this trade takes place through the land.

Most of this trade occurs through the four operational ICPs on the Indian side located at Petrapole, Agartala, Sutarkandi and Srimantapur, and their corresponding ports in Bangladesh.

Out of these, two ICPs (Agartala and Petrapole) have been formally inaugurated in 2013 and 2016, respectively.

The ICPs are entry and exit points on India's land borders and house various facilities such as customs, immigration, border security, quarantine, among others, within a single facilitation zone.

These posts have superior infrastructure facilities as compared to other land ports.

The Government of India has planned to upgrade eight more land ports with Bangladesh to ICPs by 2025.

ICP's benefits

Beyond their role in enabling bilateral connectivity, the ICPs are also an essential part of India and Bangladesh's regional connectivity initiatives.

For instance, the ICPs are important gateways for the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal Motor Vehicles Agreement (BBIN-MVA) particularly in corridors such as the Kolkata- Petrapole-Benapole-Dhaka corridor, which can further link with Nepal through the Kolkata-Raxaul-Birgunj-Kathmandu corridor.

Several other such routes for linking Nepal and Bhutan to Bangladesh have been identified.

Similarly, the ICPs are also an important part of the two countries' multi-modal connectivity via inland waterways.

2021/07/bill-pay-news-portel-770-x-90-1-1627508116890.gif

Therefore, it is pertinent to address several existing challenges at the land ports between India and Bangladesh that hinder seamless connectivity.

These challenges include lack of digitization at the land ports in both countries, port restrictions due to lack of cargo-handling infrastructure, especially on the Bangladesh side, lack of quarantine facilities etc.

The lack of a mirror ICP infrastructure in Bangladesh particularly creates barriers in trade, thereby affecting the ease of doing business.

I delve upon several recommendations to address these issues in a recent publication titled Linking Land Borders: India's Integrated Check Posts.

First, the selection of land ports to be upgraded by both India and Bangladesh should be made to complement the other regional connectivity initiatives such as railways and inland waterways to pave the way for multi-modal connectivity.

For instance, India announced an ICP at Sabroom in Tripura to complement the recently inaugurated 'Friendship Bridge' between India and Bangladesh over River Feni.

Similar planning would enable better infrastructure connectivity between both countries.

Second, there is a need for ICP-like infrastructure facilities on the Bangladeshi side to ensure seamless cargo movement.

Bangladeshi traders made a request during the 4th Meeting of the Council for Trade Development and Promotion held in 2019 for India to create an ICP on the Bangladeshi side through a grant.

It would be prudent for the Bangladesh Land Ports Authority (BLPA) and the LPAI to jointly conduct a need assessment of the land ports and chart the way forward.

Finally, through its own experience, India can support Bangladesh in capacity building to ratify and implement the Transports Internationaux Routiers or International Road Transports (TIR) Convention.

Through this, the reciprocal recognition of customs control between signatory countries will obviate the need to inspect goods at the borders.

This will enable seamless cargo movement bilaterally between India and Bangladesh and for India's transit of goods to its Northeast region.

Bangladesh is an important player in India's regional connectivity agenda.

By improving the impediments in physical connectivity, both countries can capitalize on the economic potential of the growing bilateral and regional trade.



Riya Sinha is a research associate at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, New Delhi

 

[DalalErMaNodi]

OP ekta magi kothakar


Bainchod, Indian Loving Bangladeshi mane ki ?


Bangladeshis should love Bangladesh, Indians should love India.


Shala, do something productive for your own country; Bangladesh, before worrying about Indian north east.


Neither love or hate India, international geopolitics doesn't work on emotions.

 

[GHALIB]

I find it interesting that the BD people living in the West are more butthurt about friendly IN-BD relations compared to the people living in BD. It's also weird that they are enjoying the benefits of the liberal western world but support more religious or radical groups/parties at home. It reminds me of Hindutva/RSS/Modi bhakts living in the West who are the same type of hypocrites.

This is story of all desi countries , india pakistan , bangladesh , srilanka , maldiv, guyana, surinam, mauritious .

Now more gau mutra will be available in cheaper price. Indian hindus will get it in cheaper price carrying from Kolkata to north east the holy cow urine juice. Connectivity is paying off finally.

No toilet but railway finding. Good joke.

Reported ,
Mods ban this troll .