SHILLONG, June 1 � Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has stressed on the need to open more border haats and development of trade routes through inland water for better ties with Bangladesh.
During his interaction with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Dhaka together with a delegation of Ministers from the North East, Sangma said yesterday, improved trade links would also help in reviving the age-old ties between the people of Bangladesh and North East India, an official statement here said today.
The delegation was in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka to attend the North East Indo-Bangladesh Business Conclave organised by the Indo Bangla Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IBCCI) yesterday.
�The proposed road connectivity from Dhubri in Assam through the southern slopes of Meghalaya to Tripura and to Bangladesh would improve the trade and commerce in the region,� he said during the meeting.
The Chief Minister informed about the recent steps taken by the Governments of India and Bangladesh to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and said the move would go a long way towards reviving the age- old ties between the people of Bangladesh and the North East.
Sangma also proposed to organise a Conclave of Tour Operators of Bangladesh and Northeastern States at Shillong. �Operationalisation of the Dhaka-Sylhet-Shillong-Guwahati bus service needs to be expedited as this would go a long way towards developing tourism in the region. Land Custom Stations, Immigration Offices should be set up and also be strengthened to meet with this requirement,� Sangma urged.
The Chief Minister further suggested that joint ventures in the field of thermal power generation, power transmission and new technologies in bamboo based projects may be explored for the development and benefit of both the countries.
Earlier in an interaction with Dipu Moni, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, the Chief Minister stressed on the need to build more trust through social interactions between the citizens of Bangladesh and the Northeastern States of India. The Conclave was also attended by the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and two Ministers from Tripura and Assam.
