HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Utilisation of Phulbari Route
Bilateral trade on the rise

Bhadrapur, Sept. 3 (RSS): Both Nepal and Bangladesh have failed to derive benefits to the desired extent from the Kakarbhitta-Phulbari-Banglabandha route, a transit route that was opened four years ago in order to boost bilateral trade between the countries as well as to third countries.

Despite the opening of the transit route on September 1, 1997, the scale of business transactions is extremely negligible.

According to the statistics made available by Nepal Transit and Warehouse Management Company Ltd., an authorised agency for exporting commodities to Bangladesh, Nepal was able to export various commodities to the value of Rs. 348,577,353 to Bangladesh during the four years of operation of the transit route.

In the fiscal year 2054/55, Nepal’s import through the route touched the figure of Rs. 1,157,760 whereas its export to Bangladesh totalled Rs. 13,126,274.

Likewise, in the fiscal year 2055/56, Nepal’s export through the route jumped to Rs. 42,352,716 and its import to Rs. 48,088,738.

In the fiscal year 2056/57, Nepal witnessed a upward trend in its import as well as in export. The figure stood at Rs. 94,232,600 and 41,322,213 respectively.

But Nepal’ export through the transit route plummeted to Rs. 23,616,534 whereas its import went up to Rs. 51,379,569 in the last fiscal year.

The amount of imports from Bangladesh has risen contrary to its exports in the last four years.

Nepal exported Gorakhakali tyre amounting to Rs. 8.176 million, and other items such bags, blended foods, PVC pipes and lentil amounting to Rs. 13.877 million to Bangladesh during the last fiscal year.

The items imported from Bangladesh in the last fiscal year included fabric, garments, solar power and battery cells, plastic sheets, carbon rods, zinc slabs, sun caps, plastic hangers and urea fertilisers.

Industrialists and business of both the countries had jointly organised a trade fair in Bangladesh a couple of months ago in order to boost bilateral trade. Although the efforts turned out to be a success, it failed to create congenial atmosphere in favour of Nepalese businessmen.

Due to the lack of proper communication system at the entry point, bad road and the unsystematic issuance of identity cards to the Nepalese businessmen, industrialist and drivers travelling along the transit route, more difficulties have taken place in the smooth operation of the transit route, chief of the office Yadav Shiwakoti said.

Both of the countries have yet to carry out works for the issuance of identity cards as well as visas for simplifying the business transaction as per the agreement reached between the two countries.

A need has been felt for His Majesty’s Government to initiate promotional activities focusing on industrial and business sectors of the both the countries in order to make maximum use of the transit route known as "chicken neck" of India.

Phulbari of Bangladesh is located about 56 km away from Kakarbitta.

Since the number of Bangladeshi tourists is on a gradual rise in the recent years, the route should be developed into a multi-purpose transit route, Chitamani Dahal, professor at Mechi Multiple Campus says.

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