In a big boost to sub-regional connectivity and cooperation, India facilitated the transit of fertilizer export from Bangladesh to Nepal via the Rohanpur-Singhabad rail route.
According to All India Radio's news division, at present, 27,000 MT of fertilizer will be exported to Nepal through the Rohanpur-Singhabad rail transit route. Another lot of 25,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer is likely to be exported subsequently, it said.
India and Bangladesh had signed an agreement in 1976 to allow for the export of commodities from Bangladesh to Nepal and import from other countries to Nepal via Indian territory as ‘traffic in transit’.
A report carried earlier by The Kathmandu Post noted that fertilizer shortage is a perennial problem in Nepal. It added that "despite tall promises, the Oli administration has miserably failed in ensuring the timely supply of fertilizers." Adequate supply of fertilizer would be critical for Nepal's agriculture sector. The agriculture sector, much like in India, plays a critical role in the overall economic growth story of the Himalayan country.
A source said that India will look at all feasible options to boost regional trade and connectivity. The complex mechanisms in place for the movement of goods at the integrated check posts (ICPs) could also be looked at.
"We are looking to boost ties with Nepal. Deepening of ties will benefit both countries, we have a lot in common with Nepal especially when it comes to culture and business," Gopal Krishna Agarwal, BJP's national spokesperson said.
Kathmandu's long-pending demand has been to set up a freight corridor through India that connects Nepal and Bangladesh and also gives the land-locked Himalayan country access to a seaport.
Sources said that the Narendra Modi government is also looking to push the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN) initiative, to boost connectivity in the region, which in turn will expand trade among the countries. The BBIN initiative has the support of all the member countries, one of the sources said.
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