GUWAHATI, Feb 4 - The Bangladesh government is keen on setting up joint ventures with India which besides checking informal trade will also help in increasing revenue for both the countries and create jobs.
Bilateral trade between both the countries has been consistent but has not increased as both countries would have expected, officials of both the countries admitted.
In 2010-11, exports from Bangladesh to India were pegged at US$0.51 billion against the imports of US$4.56 billion. The exports rose to US$0.67 billion in 2016-17 and the imports from India to the neighbouring country to US$6.16 billion.
�Right now we are buying from India and distributing the goods and services. But joint ventures would be more feasible, particularly in sectors linked to infrastructure. Some companies from India like Tata, Ashok Leyland, Bajaj have also set up such units. These joint venture projects will increase revenue earnings for both the countries, create employment and in turn check the informal trade,� a member of the Bangladesh delegation at the Global Investors� Summit said.
Bangladesh and Assam can have joint ventures in sectors like tourism, construction equipment, fertilizers, power generation, agriculture, etc., he said, adding there are presently over 200 Indian companies working in the neighbouring country.
Revitalizing the border haats would be another way to check the informal trade between the two countries, the delegate said.
Sheikh Fazle Fahim, senior vice president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), said that as India begins dredging of the Brahmaputra and Barak, Dhaka too is keen on developing its waterways.
�Both the countries have entered into an understanding to develop the waterways. An investment of Rs 40,000 crore would be made to develop the waterways up to the Chittagong port,� he said.
At a session on Bangladesh at the summit today, Fahim also informed that both the countries have reached an understanding to set up a 765-KV interconnection transmission network that will connect India�s Katihar in Bihar and Barnagar of Assam through Parbatipur in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh portion of the proposed power grid will stretch across 200 km. Bangladesh will also get some power through the line, he informed.