Let India come to Chittagong port: Bangladesh official
Monday, 27 April 2009, 15:34 IST
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Chittagong: A revamped and modernised Chittagong port, Bangladesh's largest, is ready for providing transit facilities to India and others, an official has said. "Our port is more efficient now and has the capacity to handle the transit cargo of neighbouring countries," Chittagong Port Authority chairman Commodore R.U. Ahmed told media Saturday on the port's 122nd anniversary. "If transit is allowed to neighbouring countries we will not face any difficulty in handling their cargo," he said. He said he was supporting the idea in principle and it was for the political authority to take a decision. India and other South Asian nations have sought access to Chittagong port because of its location in order to cut shipping costs. It is among the major bilateral economic issues between Bangladesh and India that also seeks land transit to reach out to its north-eastern region. However, the port is congested thanks mainly due to lack of adequate dredging of the harbour area. Sixty-two ships were stranded there earlier this week after a ship capsized and blocked access to others.
Source: IANS
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