Connectivity

India-Bangladesh is a good example of connectivity through all modes of transport.

Road Connectivity

  • The movement of goods by road is operationalised through 36 functional Land Customs Stations (LCSs) and 2 Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) along the border. This includes the Petrapole-Benapole ICP through which more than 50% of the bilateral trade takes place on account of which it has been decided to operate these land ports on 24x7 basis since 01 August, 2017.
  • There are regular bus services between Kolkata-Dhaka, Shillong-Dhaka and Agartala-Kolkata via Dhaka. A new bus service (Dhaka-Khulna-Kolkata) was launched during PM Sheikh Hasina’s visit in April 2017.
  • The Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal – Motor Vehicle Agreement (BBINMVA) is expected to significantly boost connectivity by road. The trial run of Cargo Movement on Trucks from Kolkata to Agartala via Dhaka and Dhaka to New Delhi via Kolkata and Lucknow was conducted in August 2016.

Rail Connectivity

  • Out of the erstwhile 6 rail links that existed, four Broad Gauge inter-country rail links between the two countries are operational now.
  • The Radhikapur-Birol rail link was the latest to be put back in operation during PM Sheikh Hasina’svisit in April 2017. Apart from these, work on the remaining two new rail links is ongoing. The 7th new rail-link between Agartala and Akhaura is being financed under grant assistance of India.
  • The ‘Maitree Express’ between Kolkata and Dhaka now operates 4 days a week and has been converted into a fully AC train service. The trial run of the 2nd Maitri Express between Khulna-Kolkata was conducted during PM Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in April 2017 and will be operational soon.

Akashvani Maitree

India state radio broadcaster’s Akashvani Maitree Channel, a special Bengali channel targeted at the Bengali-speaking audience of India, Bangladesh and in other countries, was launched on August 23, 2013 by then President Pranab Mukherjee.

  • The concept of the channel was born out of a decision taken during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in a bid to further strengthen the existing close cultural, economic, political and emotional bonding between the two neighbour and also to provide better people to people contact.
  • Akashvani has a special place in the hearts of millions of people of the neighbouring country since 1971.
  • The precursor to Akashvani Maitree, a special service in Bangla was launched in the wake of the Bangladesh liberation movement during which the channel had played a historic role.

Port Connectivity

  • The Protocol on Inland Water Trade and Transit (PIWTT) has been operational since 1972. It permits movement of goods over barges/vessels from India through the river systems of Bangladesh on eight specific routes.
  • Trans-shipment of goods to Northeastern States of India through Ashuganj river port and further through Akhaura-Agartala by road commenced in June 2016 under the PIWTT.
  • Coastal Shipping Agreement signed during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June 2015 has also enabled direct sea movement of containerized/bulk/dry cargo between the two countries.
  • In February 2017, container ship services have started between Kolkata and Pangaon (which is just around 20 km from Dhaka) under this framework.

Air Connectivity

  • There are presently around 100 flights operating weekly between India and Bangladesh connecting various Indian cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai to Dhaka and Chittagong.
  • From Bangladesh, US-Bangla Airlines, NOVOAIR, Regent Airways and Biman Bangladesh; and from India, Jet Airways, Spice Jet and Air India are operating flights between India and Bangladesh.

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