DHAKA: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Dhaka, the Indian Union Cabinet Saturday approved the agreement on coastal shipping between India and Bangladesh to carry out coastal movement of goods between the two countries.

They also approved signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two countries to prevent human trafficking and ways to reintegrate the victims with their families.

The cabinet, chaired by Modi, has approved signing of a pact with Bangladesh on coastal shipping and another on prevention of human trafficking especially trafficking in women and children: rescue, recovery, repatriation and reintegration of victims of human trafficking.

Exim trade between India and Bangladesh would be benefited by way of reduction in freight charges. It will also improve the utilization of port capacities of Indian ports and open up new opportunity for Indian coastal vessels. It will also help in decongestion of roads especially at the Land custom stations/integrated check posts at the Indo-Bangladesh border.

The Indian ports serving as transshipment ports for Bangladesh cargo will derive benefits by way of enhanced throughput as a result of Indo-Bangladesh coastal trade.

India and Bangladesh shall render the same treatment to the other country's vessels as it would have done to its national vessels used in international sea transportation.

The commencement of coastal shipping between the India and Bangladesh will increase bilateral trade between the two countries and lower down the cost of transportation of Exim cargo.

India's trade with Bangladesh has grown rapidly during the past few years. Bangladesh is now India's largest trade partner in South Asia.

The opening up of the coastal route between India and Bangladesh is expected to provide an alternative route for the transportation of Exim cargo between the two countries.

An official statement said the MoU will help strengthen cooperation to prevent all forms of the human trafficking, especially that of women and children and ensure the speed investigation and prosecution of traffickers and organized crime syndicates in both the neighbouring nations.

The pact will also ensure repatriation of victims as expeditiously as possible. After repatriation, the home country will undertake the safe and effective reintegration of the victims with their families.

"Human trafficking has emerged as a big problem. The MoU is an effort in the direction of preventing trafficking,"

India’s Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after the cabinet meeting.

A task force of India and Bangladesh was constituted to take coordinated action against individuals, touts and agents involved in human trafficking and meetings of the group. The task force has met four times so far.

During the fourth meeting of the Task Force held in Mumbai on April 6 and 7 last year, both sides finalised the text of the draft MOU on prevention of human trafficking, the statement pointed out.

Modi is visiting Dhaka on June 6 and 7.

Source: NDTV, Zee News
BDST: 1800 HRS, MAY 30, 2015
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