The trade route via Dawki-Tamabil land custom station is expected to reduce distance, time and transportation cost.

The first consignment of three truckloads of oranges left Bhutan through the new route on January 25. Dawki is a town on the Indo-Bangladesh border, while Tamabil is the adjacent town in Bangladesh.

This was the first consignment of approximately 8,300 kilograms of Bhutanese oranges. Last months the new transit route through north-eastern India using Dawki-Tamabil Land customs Stations was agreed upon.

Until recently Bhutanese exporters used the route through Siliguri in West Bengal to transport goods to Bangladesh.

The general secretary of Bhutan Exporters Association (BSA), Lungpa Tandin said the new trade route has a lot of advantages since travel distance is reduced drastically.

“We have lot of advantages especially for eastern Bhutan. The distance from Samdrup Jongkhar and Dawki in India is only 280 Kilometers, where as if the same truck has to come all the way to Changrabandha, it is almost 5-600 Kilometers. On the other hand, the distance from border town Changrabandha to Dhaka is 450 km where as from Dawke-Tamabil it is only 54 Kilometers,” he said.

The reduced trade route is especially good for perishable products like cash crops, he added. “The new route will also be time and cost effective.”

The general secretary of Bhutan-India Friendship Association in Phuentsholing, Norbu Wangdi said the route will not just benefit Bhutan, but India and Bangladesh as well.

“When Bhutanese export goods they need agents in India and Bangladesh to do all the transit works including the transportation. So that way they are benefittred,” he said.

Bhutan produces an average 100,000 tons of oranges annually. Bangladesh is a major market for the orange growers of Bhutan. At present Bhutan exports seasonal fruits and minerals like limestone, talc and dolomite among others.