BanglaBhoot
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The government is planning to allow India transit for trade with third countries through Chittagong and Mongla seaports despite opposition from different ministries and avoiding due official procedures, according to officials in different ministries.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasinas economic affairs adviser Mashiur Rahman and international affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi are steering the move from Bangladesh side after India expressed its intent to sign a new agreement to use Chittagong and Mongla seaports for its trade with other countries, said a senior government official.
Rizvi told reporters on Saturday that the two countries did not require a new agreement for allowing India transit through Bangladesh. He advised reporters not to be myopic when they were asking questions over use of seaports by India.
Mashiur Rahman made identical statement to reporters after a meeting with Indian national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon on Monday. Menon was in Dhaka for making preparations for Indian prime minister Manmohan Singhs scheduled two-day official visit starting September 6.
The two sides only require to formally agree on operational modalities by signing protocols and memorandums of understanding to implement the existing trade agreements signed in 1972 and 1980, the advisers said.
But a section of senior officers at the Prime Ministers Office and the commerce and shipping ministries believe that the advisers are giving a misinterpretation of the agreements and protocols signed between the two countries as several ministries differ with them on the issue of allowing India transit for trade with third countries through Chittagong and Mongla ports.
In no way, we can allow third country trade under the existing agreements, a commerce ministry official said referring to the agreements signed in 1972 and 1980.
Article V of the trade agreement signed on March 28, 1972, provided for mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways, railways and roadways for commerce between the two countries and for passage of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other.
On November 1, 1972, a protocol on inland water transit and trade was signed to identify two river routes in accordance with Article V of the trade agreement of 1972 for a term of five years. The protocol provided for a uniform documentation for vessels, arrangements for settlement, clearance and remittance, uniform toll charges of vessels, etc.
On October 4, 1980, a new trade agreement was signed between the two sides. Article VIII of the accord agreed to make mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways, roadways and railways for commerce between the two countries and for passage of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other. In pursuance of Article VIII of the agreement, a protocol on inland water transit and trade was signed on November 8, 1983, identifying two additional routes.
The treaty allows India to carry goods only between its two places through Bangladesh territory, the commerce ministry official said.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina agreed during her 2010 visit to India that Bangladesh will allow use of Mongla and Chittagong seaports for movement of goods to and from India through road and rail, according to the joint communiqué issued on the visit on January 12, 2010.
The government would require to follow due procedure for signing a new agreement to comply with the provision of the joint communiqué, the official said.
The advisers were trying to use the shipping ministry for signing a new agreement to allow India transit for trade with third countries through Chittagong and Mongla ports violating the Rules of Business, a government official said.
The commerce ministry is in fact responsible for dealing issues of signing agreement on allowing a foreign country transit for trade through Bangladesh territory, the official said.
The advisers are now trying to persuade the commerce ministry to agree to a transit accord, said the official.
The advisers seem to be determined to make a deal any way, officials in different ministries said.
New Age | Newspaper
Prime minister Sheikh Hasinas economic affairs adviser Mashiur Rahman and international affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi are steering the move from Bangladesh side after India expressed its intent to sign a new agreement to use Chittagong and Mongla seaports for its trade with other countries, said a senior government official.
Rizvi told reporters on Saturday that the two countries did not require a new agreement for allowing India transit through Bangladesh. He advised reporters not to be myopic when they were asking questions over use of seaports by India.
Mashiur Rahman made identical statement to reporters after a meeting with Indian national security adviser Shiv Shankar Menon on Monday. Menon was in Dhaka for making preparations for Indian prime minister Manmohan Singhs scheduled two-day official visit starting September 6.
The two sides only require to formally agree on operational modalities by signing protocols and memorandums of understanding to implement the existing trade agreements signed in 1972 and 1980, the advisers said.
But a section of senior officers at the Prime Ministers Office and the commerce and shipping ministries believe that the advisers are giving a misinterpretation of the agreements and protocols signed between the two countries as several ministries differ with them on the issue of allowing India transit for trade with third countries through Chittagong and Mongla ports.
In no way, we can allow third country trade under the existing agreements, a commerce ministry official said referring to the agreements signed in 1972 and 1980.
Article V of the trade agreement signed on March 28, 1972, provided for mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways, railways and roadways for commerce between the two countries and for passage of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other.
On November 1, 1972, a protocol on inland water transit and trade was signed to identify two river routes in accordance with Article V of the trade agreement of 1972 for a term of five years. The protocol provided for a uniform documentation for vessels, arrangements for settlement, clearance and remittance, uniform toll charges of vessels, etc.
On October 4, 1980, a new trade agreement was signed between the two sides. Article VIII of the accord agreed to make mutually beneficial arrangements for the use of their waterways, roadways and railways for commerce between the two countries and for passage of goods between two places in one country through the territory of the other. In pursuance of Article VIII of the agreement, a protocol on inland water transit and trade was signed on November 8, 1983, identifying two additional routes.
The treaty allows India to carry goods only between its two places through Bangladesh territory, the commerce ministry official said.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina agreed during her 2010 visit to India that Bangladesh will allow use of Mongla and Chittagong seaports for movement of goods to and from India through road and rail, according to the joint communiqué issued on the visit on January 12, 2010.
The government would require to follow due procedure for signing a new agreement to comply with the provision of the joint communiqué, the official said.
The advisers were trying to use the shipping ministry for signing a new agreement to allow India transit for trade with third countries through Chittagong and Mongla ports violating the Rules of Business, a government official said.
The commerce ministry is in fact responsible for dealing issues of signing agreement on allowing a foreign country transit for trade through Bangladesh territory, the official said.
The advisers are now trying to persuade the commerce ministry to agree to a transit accord, said the official.
The advisers seem to be determined to make a deal any way, officials in different ministries said.
New Age | Newspaper
. They are as useless as BAL, the only difference is that they dont sell out the country
