Assam Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary on Wednesday informed that the state is going to have India’s First International Multi-Modal Hub. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to fund the project at an estimated cost of around Rs 600 crore.
Assam is set to host an exclusive “India-Bangladesh Stakeholders” Meet at Guwahati to discuss and create awareness on the opportunities made available by these trade agreements on October 22 and 23.
“The Government of Assam is planning to develop Jogighopa, a small township near Brahmaputra river, as a logistics hub or transshipment point for cargo moving from Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland to Bangladesh,” the minister said, while speaking to the media.
Furthermore, the Munshiganj River Terminal in Bangladesh will be used as a customs station to handle third-party export and import cargo via Kolkata Port.
“To bring about a significant reduction in logistics cost and faster delivery of Bangladesh export cargo, the Indian side has raised the point regarding permitting a third country export-import trade under the coastal shipping agreement and protocol on inland water transit and trade (PIWTT) by allowing trans-shipment through ports on the east coast of India,” he said.
“The Bangladesh government agreed to hold stakeholder consultations and revert on the matter,” he added.
“Increasing connectivity through air, water, rail, road offer a mutually beneficial opportunity for enhancing economic cooperation between Bangladesh and the Northeastern states of India and beyond,” Patowary said.
“Standard operating procedures for the use of Chattagram and Mongla ports for movement of goods to and from India, particularly to and from the Northeast of India have recently been concluded and it is expected that it would create a win-win situation for both economies,” the minister added.