With bilateral trade between North-East India and Bangladesh poised to leap forward against the backdrop of recent bonhomie between New Delhi and Dhaka, Assam is undertaking the upgrade of its border trade points to facilitate border trade with the neighbouring country.
Border trade points at Golakganj and Mankachar, both in Dhubri district, are being presently upgraded to facilitate high volume bilateral trade. The other trade point on Assam-Bangladesh border is at Saturkandi in Karimganj district.
Pradyut Bordoloi, Assam's industry and commerce minister, said that upgrade work at the two border trade points is underway and 24 per cent and 40 per cent works have been completed respectively at Golakganj and Mankachar, though he didn't give any timeframe for completion of the works.
He said that the Assam government had taken up with the centre to set up land custom stations (LCs) at Golakganj and Mankachar. Saturkandi presently has one such station.
The bilateral trade volume between Assam and Bangladesh is estimated to be around $ 1 billion. Coal, boulders, cement, fruits and vegetables are few of the commodities that Assam exports to Bangladesh, and garments, food-processing products, fruits are some of the products Assam imports from Bangladesh.
Recently, a high-level trade delegation from North-East visited Bangladesh to take part for the 3-day North-East India-Bangladesh Investment Conclave, which concluded on 27 February in Dhaka. The delegation consisted chief minister of Meghalaya DD Lapang, and industry ministers of Assam, Tripura and Mizoram. The delegation also toured Chittagong port and Sylhet district, bordering North-East India.
The delegation, during their interaction with Sheikh Hasina, prime minister of Bangladesh, requested her to undertake infrastructure upgrade on the other side of the trade points, besides removing trade barriers for smooth movement of goods and commodities through road and river routes.
Bordoloi said that if Bangladesh facilitates extension of river route movement of containers from inland container depot (ICD) Amingaon, in north Guwahati, to Kolkata Port, only then the access granted to Chittagong port to India by Bangladesh government will benefit Assam. And if that materialises, he said transportation cost of tea could be cut down by almost hopping 48 to 50 per cent.
Bordoloi said that connectivity through Chittagong port can be the key driver of trade relationship between North-East India and Bangladesh. But, he added that Bangladesh has to improve its waterways, which also includes dredging, to making them navigable.
Bordoloi also stressed on the need for Bangladesh removing trade barriers for smooth movement of goods and commodities through road and river routes.
Presently, there are 35 border trade points between Bangladesh North-Eastern states of Assam, Tripura, Mizoram and Meghalaya, the states which share geographical boundary with the neighbouring country.
