Tripura is one of the remotest and land locked state of the North-East which is ringed by Bangladesh in three sides. The other side is connected through Karimganj district of Assam and provides a corridor through ‘chicken neck’ for linkage with the so called ‘main land’ of the country.

But the state was not landlocked before the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947. It was a princely state, but was connected through roads, railways and waterways through East Bengal, now Bangladesh. Our independence made us landlocked and we have lost our pre-partition communication map and business linkages. If we want to restore our earlier communication and revive businesses, we also must look at new opening through waterways, besides roads and railways.

Tripura comes under the Meghna basin. The state has eleven major rivers of which four directly falls into the Meghna River in Bangladesh. These are Manu, Khowai, Gumti and Dhalai. Of the rest seven rivers, five fall into Meghna indirectly. Like Deo river falls into river Manu which mingles with Meghna. Two rivers – Longai and Juri falls into Kushiara river which finally sink into Meghna. Hawra which flows through the capital city converge into Titas, a tributary of Meghna. Burima mingles with Bijoy nadi, which together drops to Meghna.

The two other major rivers of the state Feni and Muhuri flow through the areas under the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh and finally mix up with Bay of Bengal. So, the river Meghna and Bay of Bengal of Bangladesh are connected with the rivers of Tripura.

The Meghna has a river port- Ashuganj which is within 40 km from the Tripura’s state capital, Agartala. Agartala is very well connected with the Ashuganj port by roadways. The multi-dimensional machines for the 726 gas based thermal power project at Palatana were brought via Kolkata port by ship up to Ashuganj port by using the waterways of India and Bangladesh and then from Ashuganj port to Palatana via Agartala were taken by special vehicles. Tripura’s Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Government of India number of times mentioned that those over dimensional machines could not be carried up to Agartala by using the roads beyond chicken neck. It was possible because Bangladesh agreed to give us space for using their waterways though any formal agreement was yet be signed between the neighbouring country and our country.

Bangladesh also allowed India to use Ashuganj river port for the first time to tranship goods from Kolkata to Agartala under the 2010 inland water transit protocol in September, 2011. Bangladesh provided transhipment facility to India on a trial basis in line with the existing protocol.160 tonnes of steel sheets in the first consignment from Ashuganj river port to Akhaura land port. On September 27, an Indian ship carrying steel sheets reached Ashuganj river port from Khidirpur port in Kolkata.

On May 31, 2010 Bangladesh and India amended the Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade, and included Ashuganj as the 5th port of call in Bangladesh and Shilghat as a port of call for Bangladesh goods on the Indian side.

The amendment allowed India to carry goods to Ashuganj port by ferry. The goods then taken to India's north-eastern region by land.

Bangladeshi trucks and tractor-trailers will carry cargoes from ships at Ashuganj to the Indian border, according to the amendment.

India to demand new waterways:

India will soon ask Bangladesh for new waterways to connect Gumti with Meghna and Howrah with Titas  to facilitate movement of goods between the two countries. Following a recent feasibility study conducted by Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) India has decided to submit a concrete proposal to Bangladesh for opening the new waterways. RITES has prepared a detailed project report and submitted before the Union Ministry of Shipping through the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). Initial fund involvement would be Rs. 47 crore.

The proposed waterways between the northeastern states of India and Bangladesh would boost the trade and economy between the two countries. The waterways would smooth the progress of navigation for smooth movement of vessels. India had earlier informally proposed to Bangladesh about the new waterways.

 “The IWAI has a scheme for development of waterways in northeastern India. North Eastern Council (NEC) and it is likely to provide funds for the new waterways”. State Transport Minister Manik Dey told this author.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and IWAI now operate vessels between West Bengal and Assam. The Tripura government proposed to the central government to take up the matter with Bangladesh to declare Gumti as a national waterway in view of its potential of linkage with Bangladesh.

The Union Ministry of Shipping and Transport has set up a wing of the  inland waterways transport in the transport department of the Tripura government.

India had long been pressing the neighbouring country to use Bangladeshi waterways and ports, especially for easy transportation of Indian goods from Kolkata and other mainland cities to northeastern states through that country. But the state’s proposal for the new waterways may not get the green signal from the neighbouring country unless water is shared properly from Teesta in West Bengal. Bangladesh has long been pressing for amicable solution of the problem, but West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came as stumbling block on the way.

A new Government headed by Narendra Modi has come to the power, which seems to improve relation with Bangladesh. Cane we look forward for his active interference to solve the problem to make a new beginning?

To send your appreciation and comments pl. send email to editor@tripurainfoway.com or tripurainfoway@gmail.com  or post online below

This article also published in Facebook www.facebook.com/tripurainfoway simultaneously