Routes that bond India with Bangladesh

To improve the trading connectivity with the neighbouring country, India looks to provide a helping hand. Apart from facilitating the development of India's NorthEast, last week the government had a trial run of a container ship from Kolkata to Agartala through Chattogram Port, Bangladesh.

According to the Indian authorities, last year, India and Bangladesh had finalized the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the use of Chattogram and Mongla Ports in order to be able to make trades to and from India and Bangladesh. 

Since the agreement was made, both countries have seen increasing connectivity through air, water, rail, and roads. This in turn has made the mutually beneficial opportunity for the countries to enhance economic growth.

The connectivity between the two countries has been identified with 8 routes to access via NorthEast India. These 8 routes comprise of Chattogram/Mongla Port to Agartala (Tripura) via Akhura, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Dawki (Meghalaya) via Tamabil, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Sutarkandi (Assam) via Sheola and Chattogram/Mongla Port to Srimantpur (Tripura) via Bibirbazar and vice versa.

The increasing connectivity through air, water, rail, and roads have also provided opportunities to various other growth apart from trade between the countries. In terms of education as well, many aspirants have sought better universities for their higher studies that offer them quality education at low and affordable tuition fees.
 
In spite of the pro-India government in Dhaka, the Indian government needs to improve its ties with Bangladesh as China is working overtime to boost its trade by announcing tariff exemption for 97 per cent of Bangladeshi products with effect from July 1, 2020.

Thus, the trial run made in the previous week is assumed to have a significant impact that will lead to the development of the NorthEast region and improve the country's connectivity with Bangladesh.