India-Bangladesh plans multiple ports

Under the regional connectivity project, the government has decided to improve four land port projects aimed at increasing trade between Bangladesh and India. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) comprising officials from both the countries recently approved the Tk 693 crore scheme; of the amount 86% will be financed by the World Bank. The land ports are Sheola in Bianibazar upazila of Sylhet, Bhomra in Satkhira, Ramgarh in Khagrachhari and Benapole. Sheola customs station was declared a land port in 2015. With a tin-roofed house, it is called Sutarkandi land port on the Indian side and is situated in Karimganj area of Assam. Work for the construction of Bhomra land port started in 2013. Bhomra land port is nearer to Kolkata than Benapole land port. A Planning ministry proposal said, after the Padma bridge opens, trade activities through the Bhomra port would increase further. The Ramgarh land port is in Khagrachhari. Bangladesh shares about 400 km of border with Tripura. The Planning ministry proposal said that when Ramgarh land port is improved, trade activities with Tripura would increase and Chittagong port's efficiency would get a major boost.