Assam, Bangladesh need to deepen ties through trade: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said today that Assam and Bangladesh need to deepen further their cultural and historical ties through trade and commerce.

Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister of Bangladesh Dr Hasan Mahmud and his team called on the Chief Minister at Janata Bhawan today.

The Chief Minister thanked the Bangladesh Government for its cooperation in opening the Chittagong Port that holds the key to improving waterways connectivity in the Northeast.

Earlier in the day, State Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary attended an interactive session with the Bangladesh I&B Minister at a programme organized by the Indian Chambers of Commerce (ICC) here. Addressing the gathering, Minister Mahmud deliberated on the similarities in food, attire, culture, language between Assam, India and Bangladesh. "People of Bangladesh and Assam live on the banks of the same river – the Brahmaputra in Assam and Jamuna in Bangladesh."

Dr Mahmud stated that Bangladesh is focused on improving people-to-people contact and strengthening connectivity to improve trade and business through waterways, railways and airways. 'Chittagong Port has had a long historical association with Assam and the region since the British colonial period. The century-old seaport has been redeveloped to handle cargo ships with deeper depths. Chittagong Port is nearer to Guwahati compared to Haldia Port of Kolkata. This will not only reduce transportation costs but also boost trade and commerce activities."

Industries and Commerce Minister Patowary said, "The Barak river used to carry vessels from Chittagong and other ports of then East Bengal to this region. With the formulation of the Act East Policy of Government of India, the disrupted traditional trade routes are gradually being restored and reconnected through the Chittagong and Mongla Ports."

In a major development recently, the first 260-MT digester package of Numaligarh Refinery Limited reached Silghat in Assam from Kolkata via a river route through Bangladesh.

Minister Patowary called upon the Bangladesh Ministry officials to offer necessary support and cooperation for an increase in the volume of trade from Assam. Bangladesh can take the opportunities of potential sectors of Assam like ethanol, methanol, plastic, hydrocarbon to improve trade and business.

During the event, the India-Bangladesh trade portal was also launched which will facilitate the business fraternity of both India and Bangladesh. It is a trade portal wherein a database of exporters and importers of both NE India and Bangladesh is uploaded and would enable B2B collaboration between buyers and sellers of both counterparts and also allow business dealings and negotiations between the two sides.

Shaimum Sarwar Kamal and Momtaz Begum, MPs of Bangladesh; Md. Mokbul Hossain, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Bangladesh; Dr Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur, Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Guwahati and other senior officials were present in the programme.

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