Belonia port to pay off in 2 years Say analysts

Businesses will benefit from the newly opened land port between
Bangladesh and India borders -- but they have to wait another two
years for full advantage. "At least one a half years are needed to
develop infrastructure facilities at Belonia land port in Feni," said
KAM Haroon, chairman of Bangladesh Land Port Authority (BLPA).
Acquisition of 15 acres of land for the port is yet to be made, he
said. On Sunday, Bangladesh formally upgraded Belonia LC (Land
Customs) Station to a full- fledged land port. This is the 14 th land
port, of which 13 are with India. The other side of Belonia is
Muhurighat in Tripura state of India. Earlier, only passengers could
use the station, now businesses, both export and import could be done
through it, the BLPA chief said. Ministers, diplomats and businessmen
from both the countries are however upbeat on a significant increase
in bilateral business through the newly opened port. Commerce
Minister of Tripura Jitendra Chaudhury, who attended the inaugural
ceremony, hoped the newly opened port would help boost bilateral trade
between Bangladesh and Tripura. Present trade between Bangladesh and
the Indian state is worth of Tk 90 crore, which may reach Tk 200
crore by year-end thanks to Belonia port, said Chaudhury. He said
Tripura needs construction materials, seafood, cosmetics, ceramics
and other consumer products from Bangladesh, while Tripura can
export coal, rubber, stones and other primary agro products. Shipping
Minister of Bangladesh Shahjahan Khan inaugurated the land port as
chief guest, while Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pinak Ranjan
Chakravarty and President of Tripura Chamber of Commerce and Industry
ML Debnath spoke as special guests. The Indian envoy said his office
would do its best to issue hassle-free business visas in the
quickest possible time. "There is a good demand for Bangladeshi
products in the whole north-eastern seven states because of the
rising costs and time to bring those from mainland India," Dr
Rahamatullah, a regional connectivity expert told The Daily Star
yesterday. With the opening of the Belonia port, Bangladeshi goods
could now easily reach the southern part of Tripura, he noted. "The
new land port will help us reach Tripura and other north-eastern
states easily," said Iftekhar Uddin Farhad, managing director of
FARR Ceramics that exports ceramic products to India. Abdul Matlub
Ahmed, president of India- Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (IBCCI), said the new land port will boost business for the
units in the Feni- Noakhali-Comilla industrial belt.