Nepal-Bangladesh transit route and trade between two countries

-H.E. Cyril Sikder, Ambassador, Republic of B’desh, Nepal

( Text read before the distinguished and learned Editors, journalists and Press/Media Personnel of the Kingdom of Nepal by H.E. Cyril Sikder, the Ambassador for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh in the Kingdom of Nepal at the “Press Conference”, the necessity of which arose upon his visit and/or passing-over the existing “Transit Route: Kakorvitta (Ranigonj-India)-Fulbari/India-Banglabandh/Bangladesh border check points on 13 October 2000. The text has been reproduced here for the larger interest of the countrymen.- chief editor.

1.It is a great privilege and honour for me to warmly welcome and greet you all here at the my residence on behalf of the Most Hon’ble President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (Bangladesh), Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed and the Hon’ble Prime Minister of the Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh (Bangladesh Government) and from the people of Bangladesh and please extend the same to His Majesty and her Majesty, The King and The Queen respectively of the Kingdom of Nepal, Rt. Hon’ble Prime Minister of HMG/Nepal and the people of The Kingdom AND

2.I find no words to express my deep gratitude to my learned friends of Press/Media of the Kingdom in focussing the real issues of the trade and commerce-and-investment between Bangladesh and The Kingdom although I had no opportunity to meet you all so long since my plane, Bangladesh Biman, the national Flag-Carrier landed at Tribhuban Airport at Kathmandu on the memorable and auspicious day, the 12th day of March of this year (2000)  -- therefore once again accept my friends, the real and heart-felt thanks for taking all the trouble to attend this important “Press Conference” that has been hurriedly called for the national interests (trade-commerce-investment between the two countries through the “transit facilities allowed to the Kingdom of Nepal by the Most friendly Country and neighbour of Bangladesh, The Republic of India through its territory: Kakorvitta/Nepal-Fulbari/India-Banglabandh-Bangladesh) for both the countries: The Kingdom of Nepal and Bangladesh AND

3.That the important “Press Conference” in the sense that for the last several (3-1/2 or ) years or so the existing “Transit Route” : Kakorvitta-Fulbari-Banglabandh is not being regularly used for the said purpose of trade-business-commerce-investment between the two countries and that reasons of non-utilization of the said route is not the question but it is my bounden duty to expedite the matter for the economic development of my country and my host country, the Kingdom of Nepal inasmuch if the said “transit route” usually   is used, the volume of trade & business based on  agro-based industries (and/or agro-based products of The Kingdom) along with the manufactured goods (and services) will be increased in manifold between the two countries and that the economic development will also be increased and thus there will be an opportunity to earn foreign exchange which in turn will be able to relieve the pressure of infavourable balance of payments of Bangladesh (and Nepal) in favour of both India (over 1000 billion US Dollar trade deficit in the account of Bangladesh) and the Kingdom AND

4.That my easy and simple arithmetic visionary calculation upon my PASS-OVER through that transit route on 13 October 2000 is that if Bangladesh and Nepal are not serious about the trade, commerce and investment between them as to how the economy of the two countries could be  improved and thus improving the total economy of the two countries in the days of global economy, specially trade and commerce and investment SINCE

5.The “Transit Route” for that matter the ROAD as I have seen with my own eyes RIGHT FROM BANGLABANDH (located at the extreme north-eastern border post of the District of Panchagar, Bangladesh) THROUGH FULBARI (India) AND THEREAFTER entering into KAKORVITTA (The Kingdom of Nepal)  is quite perfect and that it is only 30/35 kilometer drive from both the border-check-posts i.e. Kakorvitta-Fulbari-Banglabandh or vice versa as I have passed through that Road/Tansit Route by good Office of His Excellency, Mr. Deb Mukharji, the Ambassador for The Republic of India and THAT

6.I have especially marked that the said Road said to be unworthy, for that matter very rough is not correct but on the contrary it is in ECELLENT CONDITION and as such Nepali businessmen has the opportunity to use that Road to export and import through MONGLA PORT, in addition to its trade and business with Bangladesh through that “Transit route” inasmuch as Nepal has the transit by bilateral treaty/agreement with India – however Bangladesh has no such treaty/agreement with India (I believe it will be signed very soon)  -- therefore it is the Nepali Businessmen and traders: exporters/importers to any third country through “Transit Route” upto MONGLA PORT is an important factor and that the said facilities were used until 1998  -- HOWEVER

7.At present the said Mongla Port of Bangladesh is not being utilized at all by the Nepali businessmen on the plea that there is no infrastructure on Bangladesh side but the real fact remains that NEPALI BUSINESSMEN/TRADERS are not using BANGLABANDH as the entry or exist for the Nepali exports/imports through Mongla Port which remained very much NON-UTILIZED although this Port and its modern infrastructure was built for Nepali imports and exports by investing billion of US Dollars and therefore Bangladesh incurring huge losses for not using it, may be by the Nepali exporters and importers threough this short “Transit Route” INASMUCH AS

8.The said Mongla Port of Bangladesh handled 361 ocean-going-ships in average i.e. at least 1 ship per day on the basis of the figure that I have from the Minstry of Shipping, the Bangladesh Government inasmuch as in year 1995-96 it handled 371; likewise 368 in the year 1996-1997: 355 in the year of 1997-98: 381 in the year of 1998-99 and in the year of 1999-2000 the ships handed is 330 and thus makes that average of 361 ships each fiscal year (July to June)  -- THEREFORE

9.The Mongla Port” is remaining unutilized for the last 3 years or so and since there are no easy movements of traffic and/or volume trade and business through that “Transit Route”, I as the Ambassador for Bangladesh undertook my recent (13/10/2000) transit-travel by car through the “Transit facility/route (from Bangladesh/Banglabandh border check post) between Kakarvitta: the extreme south-east border check post upto Banglabandh, the border check post of Bangladesh at the extreme north-west border of Bangladesh territory and through Indian territory from Pani Tanki/Ranigonj border check post, opposite to the said Kakorvitta check point and through Fulbari border check post of India to know for myself as to the overall facilities available at Banglabondh, the check post of Bangladesh within its Panchagar District and/or therefrom Fulbari-India and thereafter Panitanki/Ranigonj-Indian last Check point opposite to Nepali/Kakorvitta Check post or vice versa since Mongla Sea-Port of Bangladesh is directly connected with the said TRANSIT ROUTE Kakorvita-Fulbari-Banglabandh “Transit Route” and its total affect and/or impact on the economic-development between the two least developed countries (LDC ), Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Nepal owing to non-utilizing the same whereas the businessmen of both countries are very eager to do their business, trade, commerce and/or (joint) capital investment (Direct Foreign Investment/FDI) although the same was limitedly used by Nepal till 1998 on the pleas that infrastructure on Bangladesh side (Banglabandh) i.e. telephone/ISD, Fax, godowns, customs and immigration etc. are very much lacking   -- hence I have in a hurry called this PRESS CONFERENCE to state before this distinguished and learned Editors, journalists and Press/Media that:

(a)Once the volumes of traffic move easily and without any break, the facilities  which may be lacking will undoubtedly be available or installed and that the Panchagar Deputy Commissioner has stated to me that he will immediately install the telephone (and fax) facilities there at Banglabandh check post of Bangladesh and that he further told me that Customs and immigration will also be available there at Bangladesh side until his structural plan submitted on the last year (1999) is not completed  -- in the other words as stated herein above if the traffics are moving towards Bangladesh regularly and thereafter towards Mongla Port as the case may be, every facility that may be lacking will be available (for instance although all the modern facilities at Mongla Sea-Port is available, yet Nepali Business are not using that port now any more) and that:

(b)Immediately trucks and lorry are to be moved to and from Kakorvitta upto Syedpur (Bangladesh dry-port), about 2-1/2 hours drive from Banglaband to Syedpur to complete all the formalities such customs and immigration, as the temporary measures, until the same is fully available there at Banglaband and similar arrangements have to be made at Fulbari and Kokorvitta (I believe Fulbari and Kakorvitta have all the facilities and if not those should also be serious thought of those facilities as stated herein above and that

(c) In the meantime the pending bilateral agreement in the matter of “Transport Modalities” will soon be signed between Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Nepal which has been delayed for some unavoidable circumstances and that

(d) Once the said “Transportation Agreement-Modalities” are signed on an auspicious day within a shortest possible time, I believe all kinds of public and private vehicles, including bus/coaches will be travelling to and from Bangladesh and The Kingdom of Nepal  -- WILL YOU ALL my distinguished and learned friends present here this historical evening of 19 October 2000 agree with me for the total economic development of both the countries  -- Bangladesh and Nepal?  I have no doubt about your agreement with me – so let us proceed with God’speed:  JOY BANGLA  -- JOY NEPAL.

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