India plans 5,000km waterways grid connecting Bangladesh
The Indian government is planning to develop an eastern grid with 5,000 kilometres of navigable waterways connecting two neighbouring countries – Bangladesh and Myanmar – for better port and waterways connectivity, said Assamese Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, reported The Economic Times.
"Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is working extensively to develop the eastern grid with more than 5,000kms of navigable waterways," Sonowal said.
He added, "The development of this grid will not only boost regional integration and accelerate development but will further deepen eastern India's trade among Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, known as BBIN countries."
India is also engaging with Bangladesh for dredging activities across connecting waterways while linking its inland waterways network with the neighbourhood's ports, Sonowal expressed.
It would also further amplify India's presence in the southeastern countries, according to him.
Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa, chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), told TBS, "This is India's plan but we have some joint plans to improve regional water transport facilities."
The BIWTA is implementing the "Bangladesh Regional Inland Water Transport Project" worth Tk3349.42 crore to maintain the navigation of the Chattogram-Dhaka-Ashuganj river corridor, he added.
He further said that Bangladesh is investing in developing a river corridor considering its interests. India will dredge some rivers which will not be of use to Bangladesh but useful for regional communication. India also expressed interest to invest in dredging more rivers like these. All these issues are being discussed at the secretary and ministerial level.
Assamese Union Minister Sonowal said, "With the seamless connection between NW-1 (Ganga), NW-2 (Brahmaputra) and NW-16 (Barak), the government is keen to create opportunity via an economic corridor of 3,500kms connecting Northeast India with the rest of India, via Bangladesh.
The eastern grid can unlock multi-lateral trade potential of $49 billion as India remains committed to accelerate growth in eastern India."