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No decision on transit at this point: Touhid
Dhaka to urge Delhi for measures to reduce trade gap
Foreign secretary Touhid Hossain has said that a decision on providing India with transit facility is quite unlikely in the July 17-18 official talks in New Delhi.

Dhaka will rather press for removing non-tariff and para-tariff barriers so that Bangladesh can send more goods to India to reduce the bilateral trade gap, he told reporters Tuesday.

Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Pinak Ranjan Chakarbarty on July 10 reaffirmed India’s long-drawn interest in transit through Bangladesh’s territory to ferry goods and people among its western and north-eastern states, and said that the issue would be raised at the foreign secretary-level meeting in New Delhi.

‘Nothing [is there] to be worried about, no decision will be taken at this point of time,’ Touhid said.

He referred to the foreign adviser’s earlier statement made to dispel speculations over the transit issue, and restated that nothing would be done against Bangladesh’s interest.

‘Usually such a decision is not taken at this level. It will take time. It needs scrutiny,’ the secretary said.

Touhid, who is scheduled to leave for the Indian capital today, said trade gap with India, which ballooned to $1.9 billion last year, remained a major concern for Bangladesh, and Dhaka would want India to take unilateral measures that included removal of non-tariff barriers, duty-free access and mutual recognition of standards to facilitate more exports of Bangladeshi products to India.

The foreign secretary said, ‘The trade gap can be reduced by way of reducing negative list of products and removal of non-tariff barriers on India’s part.’

He said Bangladesh would flag the issues of implementing the Land Boundary Agreement, border demarcation of the remaining 6.5 kms, early convening of meeting of the Joint Boundary Working Group, unfettered access through Tin-bigha corridor, exchange of enclaves and adversely possessed territories, the killing of unarmed civilians by the Indian BSF and early convening of the 37th session of the Joint Rivers Commission.

‘India is our friendly neighbour, and I believe any problem can be resolved through discussion. We will try to find a common ground on all the bilateral issues,’ the secretary added.

Home secretary-level talks between the two countries may be held next month when the boundary issue would be discussed, he informed.

Dhaka would also propose resumption of talks on maritime boundary delimitation that remained stalled for more than two decades.

Dwelling on the issue of the Dhaka-Kolkata train service, he said that both sides agreed to make this service more effective reducing the time waste for immigration clearance on the Indian side.

On more bus services between the two countries, Touhid said a proposal on Dhaka-Shilong-Gowahati bus service could be discussed.

He said Dhaka would ask Delhi to allow Nepalese transports to enter Bangladesh territory through Banglabandh border to ease direct trade between Bangladesh and Nepal.

http://www.newagebd.com/2008/jul/16/front.html
Posted by Isha Khan, who can be reached at bdmailer@gmail.com