Assam-Bangladesh trade improvements
The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata) | Northeast | Indo-Bangla meet harps on progress
Guwahati, Oct. 29: Assam industries minister Pradyut Bordoloi today said all sections of society, including politicians, would join hands together in India and Bangladesh if there was an overwhelming need for the neighbours to walk together for overall progress.
Speaking at an interactive session for a visiting Bangladesh delegation on trade and investment organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce, Bordoloi said both the regions have been closely knit for a long time.
Representatives of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry attended the session.
“The barriers will go down if there is an overwhelming opinion that both countries should walk together,” Bordoloi said.
He suggested that both the countries should form an economic bloc to strengthen relations.
A memorandum of understanding between the Down Town Charity Trust and India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry was signed to promote healthcare and education.
The Down Town Charity Trust has set up healthcare infrastructure in Assam.
The minister said a trade delegation from Assam would visit Bangladesh next year.
Anisul Huq, the president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said both the countries could progress much more, as there was a huge trade potential.
“We have enough potential to do business with Assam,” Huq said, adding that infrastructure in the border areas was still weak.
The non-tariff barrier is still a big impediment.
Abdul Matlub Ahmad, the president of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the idea of shipping readymade garments and knit garments to Assam under the duty free quota of 8 million pieces, of which still around 4 million was still unutilised, should be explored.
Ahmad said the joint efforts of the trade chambers of both the countries paid dividends and paved the way for Bangladesh to start export of products to Tripura.
“Possibilities of export of new products from Bangladesh should be explored, as the country is near Assam and there is an advantage of lower transportation costs,” Ahmad said.
He added that Assam had significant natural resources that could find markets in Bangladesh and items like limestone, coal and other minerals could be utilised to set up joint ventures.
Ravi Capoor, the commissioner of the industries and commerce department of Assam, said the Suterkandi trade centre was functioning well but the infrastructure at the corresponding site in Bangladesh was inadequate.
Trade centres are also coming up at Golokganj and Mankachar.
