India and Bangladesh on Wednesday added five more ports of call that would augment bilateral trade and provide stimulus to the economic development of the new locations and their hinterland.
The five new ports of call in Bangladesh side are Rajshahi, Sultanganj, Chilmari, Daudkandi and Bahadurabad, while in Indian side are Dhulian, Maia, Kolaghat, Sonamura and Jogigopha, the Daily Star reported.
Bangladesh's Shipping Secretary Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das signed the addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade here, the report said.
Under the protocol, presently there are six ports of call. They are Kolkata, Haldia, Karimganj, Pandu, Shilghat and Dhubri on Indian side and Narayanganj, Khulna, Mongla, Sirajganj, Ashuganj and Pangaon on the Bangladesh side.
Further, two more extended ports of call – Tribeli (Bandel) and Badarpur on Indian side and Ghorasal and Muktarpur on Bangladesh side – have been added through this addendum.
Now, total ports of call are 11 and there are two extended ports of call in both countries. The Inclusion of Jogigopha in India and Bahadurabad in Bangladesh as a new port of call will provide connectivity to Meghalaya, Assam as well as Bhutan.
Jogigopha also becomes important, since a multimodal logistics park is proposed to be established there, said Indian High Commission in a statement.