Nepal's access of sea route of B'desh through India

-Ambassador Cyril Sikder, Bangladesh

As you know that Bangladesh is a newly emerged democratic country in South Asia which came into being through a long and arduous struggle for many, many years, 1952-1971- and as such the ultimate goal of the War of Liberation in 1971 under the leadership of the Father of the Nation, Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Geographical proximity between Nepal and B'desh has helped both the countries to develop close ties of culture, tradition and history since time immemorial. The people of B'desh always gratefully recall the support and sympathy of the people of the Kingdom of Nepal towards the "War of Liberation" with great admiration. Nepal was the eighth country to recognise B'desh on 16 January 1972. Ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and B'desh in the same year, 1972,naturally relation between the two countries have undoubtedly always close, cordial, co-operative and most friendly.

The Kingdom of Nepal being a landlocked country, it needs to use International sea ports of her immediate neighbouring countries to develop her total economy through her third country's trade and commerce, using the sea ports. A small strip of land, 18Kms only, that separates Nepal from B'desh, through the territory of India, the most friendly country, both for the Kingdom of Nepal and B'desh. As a transit country Bangladesh has agreed to provide transit facilities to land locked Nepal and has co-sponsored draft resolutions in the UN aimed at guaranteeing the right of access to and from the seaports to land locked countries.

The Kingdom of Nepal and B'desh signed Trade, Payment and Transit Agreement on 02 April 1976. In that agreement the following six places were approved by both the sides for the movement of traffic-in-transit through the ports and other territory of B'desh by all means of transports. These are:a) Chittagong port; b) Mongla port; c) Benapole; d) Birol; e) Banglabandh and d) Chilhati.

Chittagong port is situated at the south-eastern part of B'desh on the By of Bengal as a full functional and the most modern seaport of the country. Mongla port on the other hand is situated on the south-western part of B'desh, opposite to and at the eastern side of Kolkata port, which is also fully operative round the clock as the same is international standard sea pot. Benapole is a road-crossing point near Kolkata and its Indian side border point is Petrapole. Biral point (north of Dinajpur district) which is a meter gauge rail point at B'desh border was brought under regular use for the movement of Nepal's Railway trade traffic to and through B'desh after the Government of India allowed the rail connection from its border station Radhikapur to Biral, B'desh. In the 1997 India has allowed its Fulwari border point to Nepal to connect Banglabandh, the extreme Northwest border post of the district of Panchagarh, of B'desh. The said Kakarvitta-Fulwari-Banglabandh route provides a shortest access of only 44 kilometres to B'desh border for Nepal's trade and commerce with and through B'desh. Chilahati, north of Nilphamri district, is a broad gauge rail terminal, which used to be connected with the Indian side of border rail station Haldibari before 1971 is directly connected to Begerhat railway station, which is only 30 kilometres from Mongla seaport.

Amongst all of the noted transit points, the Kakarbhitta-Fulwari-Banglabandh route, an alternative and shortest transit route which has been in operation for about four years and is expected to play a vital and important role in facilitating the access of Nepalese exported/imported goods to and from the Mongla port of B'desh. Mongla port being the shortest distance an althrough road linked from Kathmandu in comparision to any existing ports, has the highest business potentials to be used by Nepali businessmen. Both HMG/N and B'desh government should therefore work towards building and/or completing the necessary infrastructures for the proper utilisation of the immense trade potential offered by the Kakarbhitta-Fulbari-Banglabandh route by India for which B'desh is also very grateful. The transit route distance between Kathmandu to Mongla port is furnished below: a) Kathmandu to Kakarbhitta=610 kms, two way metalled road; b) Kakarbhitta to Banglabandh= 44 kms, two way metalled road; c)0 Banglabandh to Mongla port=640 kms, two way metalled road. The total distance=1,294 kms with two way metalled road.

Mongla sea port is situated on the south western part of B'desh at the confluence of Passur river and Mongla sea port approximately 87 kms upstream of the Bay of Bengal and 45 kms south of Khulna Metropolitan city. The Passur river channel is very wide, ships are handled at the channel very easily. The port is well protected by the world heritage of the natural mangrove forest of Sundarbans where the foreign ships can take berth with safety and security from the natural calamity like flood, upsurge of sea water etc. Mongla is in the unique position to handle export and import traffics of the country as well as the transit trade and commerce of neighbouring countries of B'desh as that of Nepal and Bhutan. Let me mention here some of the facilities available in Mongla sea port: 1) Jetty-5 numbers; 2) Moorings-8 nos; 3) Anchorage-19 nos; 4) LPG jetty- 5 nos; 5) Clinker jetty-2 nos; 6) Transit shed-4 nos, 4907 sqm each; 7) Ware House-2 nos, 9815 sqm each; 8)Open space-10,000 sqm, approx. and 9)0 Container Yard- 3 nos, 35, 528 sqm each.

The government of Bangladesh is ever ready to establish all the complete modern infrastructure facilities required in B'desh transit point at Banglabandh, and thereafter to and from Mongla port, provided the Kingdom of Nepal increases its trade volume and utilises this transit route more than the present poor utilisation of the same.

A draft "transport modalities" to allow Nepali transports to ply freely and easily inside B'desh is waiting for approval and execution by both Nepal and B'desh government. Once the said "Transport modalities" are signed, the lot of problems in transit and transhipments will be automatically solve: at least Nepal will save three days time by using Mongla port by the Nepali businessmen and traders. And that comparatively the Mongla port will be less costlier: ( at least 200% than any other port that may be used by the Kingdom for its 3rd country exports and imports), than any other port that may be used economically this will be more beneficial to both the countries considering the total economic development of both the countries. As India has allowed Kakarbhitta-Fulbari-Banglabandh transit route to Nepal to have trade and business with B'desh and third country trade, commerce, exports and imports, any problem that may be faced by Nepal in this route may be solved by HMG/N with India through mutual understandings, co-operation and as for B'desh, she is taking all the steps in this matter with its most friendly and neighbouring country, India.

I would like to state that it is very important and high time for Nepal to use Kakarbhitta-Fulbari-Banglabandh transit route in order to increase regional and international trade and commerce by using Mongla as the only alternative sea port. I would like therefore urge both the Nepal and her business community to seriously think over this trade, business and commercial potentials offered by Kakarbhitta-Fulbari-Banglabandh transit route as well as the Mongla port. The problems and bottlenecks in this important and mutually beneficial matter, may immediately solved by mutual and whole-hearted efforts by both the countries on top-priority basis and as such the same may be started the job right from tomorrow but with active and positive efforts or endeavours from all of you Mr. President and the ladies and gentlemen present here.

Speech made by the distinguished author on May 2, 2001 at a program organised by Rotary Club, Kathmandu-Chief editor

Christmas spirit-is it difficult to keep it intact forever?

Pradip Bhandari, currently in London

As Christmas approached, I could see people all around becoming more and more relaxed and nicer, more helping than ever before, and acting out of their characters for good. On the whole, should I say that everybody seemed ‘human’?

Having born and lived most part of my life in a culture where one values life in more of a spiritual than material terms, I was indeed happy to notice this amazing transformation in people all around me during the Christmas period. Everybody seemed so very different than they used to be just a few days back! Anyone would come forward to whisper sweet nothings with a smiley face! They just seemed to have some extra time to talk to you and feel concerned! But, as the days passed and the year changed to a new one, the whole transformation seemed to be put to rest. And I started wondering if I shall have to wait a whole year to feel the difference again…!

Back home in Nepal, we do have our own festivals and occasions when family, friends and even strangers are brought together into a closer knit than usual. The whole perception of an individual seemed to change during such times with desires for positive initiation to bring about peace and harmony in the family and beyond. Any shortcomings in the acts and behaviors of someone would simply be forgiven and accounted as ‘un-intentional’. Changes of behavior of this kind have also been observed in places experiencing constant un-rest, violence and war. Even people there seem to observe and maintain periods of freedom from violence in the name of religion or other festivity. I firmly believe that the whole purpose of these occasions in our lives, whatever religion we may follow and whatever beliefs we may have within ourselves, should be to bring about peace and harmony in the world we live in. So then, can it not be maintained beyond the short period of time that has become to us like a ritual?

Someway or the other, every religion or sect on this earth seem to convey the same message of the need for doing good to fellow human beings. But, it also is a reality that every person on this earth is so different from another that the very definition of the purpose in life starts becoming translated into innumerable materialistic ways. In the pursuit of our own happiness we don’t seem to bother if the consequences of our action is making a fellow human being suffer more in life. Is there not enough in this world to make us all happy? Do we have to wrongly incriminate others for our own pleasure and selfishness? If we are unable to contribute positively to the happiness of the whole mankind, can we not at least refrain from harming anybody? Can we not then, keep some of the Christmas spirit lively within ourselves forever?

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