Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina talking to Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das when she paid a courtesy call on the PM at Ganabhaban in the city on Monday. -PID
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has laid emphasis on strengthening waterway connectivity to promote trade and commerce between Bangladesh and India.
She attached importance to increasing the connectivity when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das paid a courtesy call on her at Ganabhaban in the city yesterday.
PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters on this after the meeting.During the meeting, they discussed various bilateral issues of interest between the two neighboring countries.Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman was present at the meeting.
It is to be noted that the Cabinet on November 12, 2018 approved an addendum to the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, under which 470km of rivers will be dredged with joint financing from Bangladesh and India. India will provide 80% of the total dredging cost, while Bangladesh will cover the remaining 20%, according to the deal.
On July 2 last, while addressing a panel discussion on "Cooperation in the Pacific Rim" at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting of New Champions 2019 in China's city of Dalian, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh amicably demarcated its maritime boundary with Myanmar and India. Bangladesh and India have joined hands to uniquely develop trans-boundary river navigation.
In her recent Budget speech, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that opening up of the India-Bangladesh protocol route for a seamless movement through waterways would be the start of a water grid program. The 1400-km long Indian National Waterway-1 will be connected to the 1,600 km long India-Bangladesh protocol route via National Waterway-2, which is roughly 900 km in length.
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