Bangladesh shows interest in further developing Chabahar Port

Bangladesh’s move to develop Chabahar port comes close on the heels of the decision to start direct flight between Tehran and Dhaka, granting traders, businessmen and entrepreneurs easy access into Central Asian market of Iran

New Delhi: Keen to bolster its relations with Iran and to explore new markets for its export in Central Asia, Bangladesh is planning to contribute to the development of the Chabahar port.

Reports of this development surfaced soon after the Bangladeshi Ambassador to Iran paid a visit to the oceanic port of Chabahar.

According to sources, Ambassador Gousal Azam Sarker visited Chabahar and held meetings with the port authorities. During his visit, Sarker is reported to have said that relations between the Iranian and Bangladeshi merchants and investors can be of effect in the development of the region, in which Chabahar can play an important role.

“The Bangladeshi High Commission had requested a tour of the Chabahar port and a meeting with the maritime authorities. Thus, respecting the same, a detailed tour of the port and meetings with the officials were lined on 3 February,” a senior official from the Ports and Maritime Organization of Sistan-Baluchestan Province informed the News21 on phone. 

He added that the Bangladeshi Ambassador was very pleased with the developments made in the Chabahar port and expressed his government’s willingness to initiate direct and continuous trade.

Sarker is also said that the port has created a great relation between Iran and Afghanistan and Central Asian countries. He was planning to share his understandings of the opportunities Chabahar port provides with Bangladeshi investors and traders to attract financial aid. 

The website of the Chabahar port affirmed the meeting held between officials and Bangladesh’s top diplomat in Iran. 

Confirming the meeting with Sarker, the head of the Ports and Maritime Organizations Behrouz Aqaee, said that there has been an agreement between Iran, India, and Afghanistan about Chabahar. “However, other countries can join the accord. We have had some requests from Commonwealth of Independent States members as well to develop Chabahar,” Aqaee said.

Iran’s only deep oceanic port – Chabahar is situated on the Makran Coast of Sistan-Baluchestan Province. Due to its strategic geographical positioning, Chabahar port holds a great significance for Iran both politically and economically.

The port city has been officially designated as free trade and industrial zone by the Tehran government. Declaration of the city as the free trade and industrial zone has assisted in promoting the status of the coastal region for international trade and foreign investment. 

After years of negotiations, Iran awarded the development project of this port to India, and the New Delhi, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, committed $500 million to build two new berths in this port.

The Chabahar port is Iran’s closest and best access point to the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). For this reason, Chabahar is the focal point of Tehran’s development of the east of the country through expansion and enhancement of transit routes among countries situated in the northern part of the IOR and Central Asia.

In recent years, Dhaka and Tehran have amplified efforts to promote bilateral relations in various political and economic areas.

The move to develop Chabahar port comes close on the heels of Dhaka’s announcement to launch a direct flight between the two countries. The decision to start direct flights between the two capitals was to help traders and entrepreneurs establish better ties with each other. The two Muslim nations with deepened economic ties plan to reach an annual trade target of $1 billion in 2020.