Bhutan to conduct first trial transit via Bangladesh during PM Tobgay's Dhaka visit

Bhutan will carry out its first trial run under the traffic-in-transit agreement with Bangladesh, as a 15-tonne consignment imported from Thailand moves from Chattogram Port to Burimari land port and onward to Bhutan through Indian territory during Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay's state visit to Dhaka from 22 to 24 November.

Bangladesh has issued official clearance to port and customs authorities to facilitate the shipment, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman confirmed. The consignment, handled by Bhutanese firm M/s Abhi Cargo Company, arrived at Chattogram Port in October after Bhutan requested the trial ahead of a joint technical committee finalising transit charges.

Once a second trial run is completed, the landlocked Himalayan nation will gain regular access to Chattogram Port, travelling 684 kilometres across Bangladeshi territory. The trial is proceeding as a "friendly gesture" with temporary fees set by the National Board of Revenue (NBR): Tk 30 for document processing, Tk 20 per tonne for transshipment, Tk 100 per tonne for security, Tk 85 per km for escort, Tk 100 per tonne for administrative charges, and Tk 254 per container for scanning. Road tolls and corridor fees will be determined separately.

No bilateral trade meetings are scheduled during Tobgay's visit, though the next commerce secretary-level talks are planned for January 2026. The agreement, signed on 22 March 2023, opens multimodal transit facilities for Bhutan to Mongla, Payra, and Chattogram ports, boosting regional connectivity under the BBIN framework (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal).

The trial coincides with Tobgay's itinerary, including a wreath-laying at the National Martyrs' Memorial and meetings with Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, and Commerce Adviser Mahbubur Rahman. Tobgay, who regards Yunus as a "role model," will also interact with the Bhutanese community in Bangladesh.

This landmark step underscores deepening ties between the neighbours, with potential for expanded cooperation in hydropower imports, health, education, and tourism. Bhutanese trucks carrying cargo can now enter Bangladesh via India, a facility Bhutan has sought for years.