A thirteen-member delegation from Bangladesh is on a visit to India from the 9th to the 12th of this month to assess the possibilities of transhipment of Exim cargo of Bangladesh through Indian ports located on the East Coast. The delegation is led by the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh S M Mostafa Kamal. It comprises representatives from other key ministries and ports of Bangladesh. The delegation’s visit to ports in Chennai, Krishnapatnam, Vishakhapatnam, Kolkata and Haldia is in line with agreed minutes of India-Bangladesh Shipping Secretaries Level Talks held at Dhaka in December last year.

Ports, Shipping and Waterways Ministry said in a statement that the objective of the Bangladeshi delegation’s visit is to gain first-hand knowledge of technical feasibility, commercial viability and infrastructure facilities at Indian ports to assess their potential for the transhipment of Bangladeshi cargo. Officials from the Inland Waterways Authority of India, Director General of Shipping and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs accompanied the visiting delegation.