Cabinet Approved ESCAP’s Proposal To Develop The Land Ports

The approval was given in the regular meeting of the cabinet held at the cabinet room of Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The proposal named 'Intergovernmental Agreement on Dry Ports' is an instrument prepared by UN ESCAP to develop the land ports of the country to international standard under a guiding principle, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said.

Briefing reporters after the meeting the cabinet secretary said Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) in a meeting of the Asian transport ministers in 2009 agreed to develop all land ports of the region connecting Asian Highway Network and Trans Asia Railway Network.

In view of this, the ESCAP approved the draft of the agreement in 2013.

Musharaf Hossain said, 15 countries of Asia region have signed the agreement during the period from November 4 to 8, 2013 in Bangkok. At that time Bangladesh could not sign the agreement due to lack of necessary preparations.

Now Bangladesh will sign the agreement at UN headquarters, he said. The agreement would strengthen regional connectivity and cooperation and it would also be easy to get cooperation from international community to develop the ports, he said.

Musharraf Hossain said Akhawara, Bibir Bazar, Hili, Sona Masjid, Bangla Band, Bilonia, Tamabil, Benapole, Bhumari, Teknaf, Bhomra, Ramgarh land ports will come under the agreement.

According to the ESCAP guideline, he said, the infrastructure, warehousing facilities, transshipment, and inspection system, customs-control procedure, institutional and regulatory framework would be developed to facilitate smooth functioning of the dry ports.

Ministers, state ministers in charge of various ministries and concerned secretaries were present in the cabinet meeting.

-Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)