Bangladesh Eager to Enhance Trade, Connectivity with Northeast
The Bangladesh government is eager to enhance trade, business and connectivity with northeast, said officials on Tuesday quoting visiting Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, said reports.
“Chief ministers of northeastern states have also pleaded for more connectivity and trade between the northeastern states and Bangladesh” an official was quoted as saying by IANS.
Speaking about deliberations between the three chief ministers and Hasina, the official was quoted as saying: “The Bangladesh prime minister told them that her country is ready to increase trade and connectivity with the northeastern states, especially Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya.
“The Bangladesh premier has also invited the northeastern chief ministers to visit her country and finalise the modalities to further increase trade and connectivity.”
The report said that the chief ministers had emphasized the need of air, rail and bus services between important cities of Bangladesh, including its capital Dhaka, with all the capitals of the northeast.
“India has also been pressing Bangladesh for allowing transit routes through that country,” a Tripura government official in Agartala was quoted as saying.
The official said: “Transit routes through Bangladesh, mainly carrying of cargo, would be immensely beneficial for the northeastern states, which have been facing transportation problems since the partition of India.”
The chief ministers of Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya attended the state banquet hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in honour of his Bangladesh counterpart at New Delhi Monday night.
