What can be termed as a good news for the business community of North-East and East India, the Bangladesh government has agreed to resolve all connectivity issues with India.
The agreement was reached during a meeting of the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka today, an ICC press release said.
The release added that the discussions revolved around key issues, like specific measures by the Bangladesh government to increase the usage of Chittagong and Mangla ports by Indian companies and exporters; trade facilitation through setting up of world-class integrated facilities at the Land Custom Stations (LCS) like Petrapole; developing softer borders and regularisation of trade exchanges; improving connectivity by upgrading railway network and highways.
ICC has offered to set up a special SEZ to attract investments from India and assured of an investment of $5 billion from India for the project. It has asked for a 150 acres plot for this purpose.
Budhia said that massive investments from Indian corporates, including prominent ICC members, would create a surplus capacity that would not only improve the availability of manufactured goods and diversify basket of goods for re-export to India, but also create adequate capacity for the Bangladesh market, thereby reducing import-dependency.
ICC also suggested to the Bangladesh government to open a Deputy High Commission office in Guwahati or Shillong. “The suggestion was received very positively by the PM, who felt that opening of a Consulate or Deputy High Commission’s office in the North-East would significantly contribute towards improving trade and tourism relations between the two countries, and address several specific locational issues including visa,” stated the release.
