Dhaka for transit thru India to Nepal, Bhutan

Bangladesh will seek road transit facilities through Indian territory for transportation of goods to and from Nepal and Bhutan.

Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed hopes New Delhi would provide Bangladesh with the transit, a long pending issue critical for increasing trade and trade-related services with the two landlocked countries.

The minister expressed optimism after Indian high commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran made a courtesy call on the minister at his office on Monday.

Tofail told newsmen that members of eight-nation SAARC were supposed to sign a deal in this regard during the last summit but that could not be struck because of reservation from Pakistan.

"So, the countries that are willing to sign such agreement for transshipment can now do it, on a bilateral basis," he said.

The minister mentioned that Bangladeshi trucks laden with goods could not move through Indian territory in absence of a deal on transit.