Nepal and Bangladesh are expected to enter into a historical treaty next month when they sign proposed MoU for a rail link between the two country via India.
Two rail routes have been proposed to carry Nepalis good to Bangladesh. First, Mongla-Khulna- Rohanpur - Singabad-Raxaul-Birganj (India-Nepal check post). Second, Mongla-Khulna-Biral-Radhikapur-Jugbani-Biratnagar (India-Nepal check post).
Nepal and Bangladesh are going to discuss a slew of trade and transit issues in the meeting rescheduled for July 15. Earlier, the meeting was scheduled for May first week. "During the meeting both the countries will discuss trade developments," said Surya Prasad Silwal, joint secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies (MoCS).
"We will also discuss the implementation of earlier decisions," he said adding that this meeting would also discuss possible transport modalities.
The draft-MoU mentioned that respective sides would develop infrastructure within their territories and work will begin with Rohanpur- Singhabad transit.
"The process, procedure and documentation for Nepali vehicles used for export, tariff on Nepali products, and primary list of products from Nepal will be discussed," Silwal added. Transit Treaty between the two South Asian countries will also be discussed during the secretary-level meeting.
As per the draft MoU, rail connectivity between Bangladesh and Nepal will begin once the transit traffic between Singhabad station of India and Rohanpur station of Bangladesh starts.
And, the rail connectivity between Bangladesh and Bhutan will be established once the transit traffic between Biral and Radhikapur starts.
It said there are huge infrastructural problems for Bangladesh to start transit traffic through Biral and Radhikapur.
Bangladesh is ready to let Nepal use Chittagong and Mongla ports for later's international trade. Besides, Nepal will get a discount for using Mongla port. Nepal began transportation of goods through the Mongla port in 1997 and almost the same time it started using the Chittagong port.
Nepal was mainly handling cement, cement clinker, rice, wheat and other goods through the Mongla port. But since 2000, Nepal has stopped using the port.
Bangladesh is about to sign an MoU with India to start rail connectivity with Nepal and Bhutan via India. The MoU is likely to be signed in July this year to facilitate smooth and speedy flow of transit traffic to and from Nepal by the overland rail route through India and Bangladesh. Nepal and India had signed transit deal in March 1978 while Nepal and Bangladesh had signed a protocol in April 1976.
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