A shipping line connecting Myanmar and Bangladesh will get underway in March in order to boost trade between the neighbouring countries, Bangladesh Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed announce last week.
The vessels were supposed to launch a year ago but were delayed amid, what Bangladesh reports as political tension between the countries.
“Everything is now at the final stage. We are ready to offer our inland ports for use by vessels from Myanmar,” he said, adding that vessels from Myanmar would be allowed to use the ports, which are located at Chittagong, Monla, Narayaganj and Teknaf in Bangladesh and Yangon, Pathein, Sittwe and Maungtaw in Myanmar.
Bilateral trade between the countries stands at $100 million per annum, and it is hoped that the shipping lanes will help push that figure five-fold to $500 million.
“Bangladesh and Myanmar re-established the Dhaka-Yangon air connectivity last year and our next target is road connectivity,” said Ahmed, who was speaking at the Bangladesh-Myanmar Joint Trade Commission in Nay Pyi Taw last month.
