This is as per reports, which added central to their discussions was the imperative of facilitating seamless communication between Bangladesh’s Banglabandha and Nepal’s Kakarbhita via land routes, alongside the augmentation of trade activities.
Bangladesh state minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and Nepalese commerce minister Damodar Bhandari deliberated on bilateral matters of mutual interest.
Facilitating seamless communication between Bangladesh’s Banglabandha and Nepal’s Kakarbhita via land routes, augmentation of trade activities, amongst the key issues discussed.
During his visit to Kakarbhita earlier in the day, Chowdhury observed its location, situated 37 kilometres from Banglabandha and within Indian territory.
Deliberations ensued on how Nepal could directly connect with Bangladesh through this 37-kilometer stretch of Indian land even as the consensus leaned towards a collaborative effort involving Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to utilise this route effectively.
Earlier, Chowdhury visited the Phuentsholing border of Bhutan through the Banglabandha Land Port in Panchagarh district, Bangladesh, and the Phulbari land port in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, India.
Welcomed by Phuentsholing governor Karmi Jurmi at the border, discussions unfolded on enhancing bilateral trade, extending to Pasakha land port from the border.
Banglabandha, positioned 142 kilometres from Bhutan’s bordering area of Phuentsholing, holds strategic significance in facilitating cross-border trade.
The meeting between Mahmud Chowdhury and Damodar Bhandari reportedly witnessed the presence of key figures including Bangladesh Land Port Authority chairman Md Zillur Rahman Chowdhury, Bangladesh ambassador to Nepal Salahuddin Roman Chowdhury, joint secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Munshi Md Moniruzzaman, part-time member of the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Land Port Authority Ziauddin Ahmed Bhuiyan, and superintending engineer of the Land Port Authority M Hasan Ali.
The discourse between the visiting dignitaries and officials underscored the concerted efforts towards fostering robust trade relations and enhancing connectivity between Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and India, marking a significant stride in regional cooperation and economic integration.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DR)