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KOKRAJHAR: A two-member delegation from Bhutan, secretary general of Bhutan-India Friendship Association (BIFA) Dawa Penjor and Vice President of Bhutan Chambers of Commerce and Industries (BCCI) Kamal Pradhan visited Kokrajhar on Friday and held an interactive meeting with the members of the Kokrajhar Press Club in the evening. The visit was part of BIFA’s ongoing initiative to foster stronger ties with India, especially the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam.
The Bhutanese delegations were accorded a warm welcome with the traditional Bodo Aronai. The interaction aimed to enhance media cooperation and promote cultural and social exchanges between Bhutan and Bodoland, especially in border areas. BIFA expressed its commitment to strengthening the bond of mutual understanding and friendship across the international border.
Speaking to the media persons of Kokrajhar, BIFA delegation highlighted the shared cultural heritage and longstanding neighbourly relations between Bhutan and BTR, emphasizing the role of people-to-people connections and media in nurturing this unique relationship.
During the interaction, secretary general Dawa Penjor also offered insights into the vision of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), a transformative project in Bhutan designed to promote sustainable development, wellness, and spiritual harmony. He said the GMC project will not harm the ecology and mother nature and will not have skyscraper buildings but will maintain the beauty of nature and protect cultural heritage. He also said Bodoland had been the most favoured age-old trading destination for Bhutanese people who used to come down for trading purposes and the people of Bodoland go to Bhutan for various requirements which is still going on. He, however, said during Bodo agitations, the trade and people to people connections got snapped but after BTR accord, peace has returned and now the BIFA is looking forward to restrengthening the mutual relationship and people to people contact in across the border by way of cultural exchange, sports and literary exchange programmes and trade and commerce. He also said the railway connection between Kokrajhar and Gelephu Mindfulness City in Bhutan is coming up and there will be a lot of opportunities for the people of Bodoland side which is to be explored.
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