Apr 16, 2011

India is to set the ball rolling for visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later this year. Sharing of Teesta river water, transit, exchange of 162 enclaves in each other's territory, 6.5 kilometres of un-demarcated border and import of electricity are some key bilateral issues likely to be discussed. Visits by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao followed by a trip by External Affairs Minister SM Krishna have been planned. 

India has also started availing transshipment facility to send goods from Kolkata to Tripura through Bangladesh. The first four consignments of over dimensional cargoes (ODC) for 726 megawatt Palatana power plant passed through Akhaura border for Tripura as per a report by Sheikh Mahfuz Hamid, managing director of Gulf Orient to bdnews24.com. Gulf Orient is responsible for shipment of 96 consignments for the power plant through Bangladesh. The consignments come from Kolkata to Ashuganj port through river route and from the port it will be carried by trailers to Akhaura 16 diversions, three parking bays and 15 kilometres of new roads have been constructed for this purpose. Transshipment facility involves using dual modes of transport like river and road, and the facility was given to India under the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (IWTT) signed in 1972 but has been availed only after recent improvement of relations.

Transshipment of heavy equipment for the Palatana power plant in Tripura through Bangladesh which has been pending for long will be a major shift in Indo Bangladesh relations While this would be a revenue earner for Bangladesh for India this would shorten the distance to its North Eastern states of Tripura and Mizoram. Now that Bangladesh has addressed a number of concerns of India related to security and transit, Dhaka would expect greater reciprocity; hopefully the Man Mohan visit later this year should prove a long term game changer in Indo Bangladesh relations.