Is Mizoram smarter than state in promoting border trade?
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: April 27, 2022 -
THERE has been increasing instances of the Mizoram government’s determination to take full advantage of its proximity with immediate international neighbours - Bangladesh and Myanmar- compared to Manipur, which also shares the border with Myanmar but has not been able to reap much benefit in-spite of being officially given the tag of gateway to south-east Asia.
Like in Manipur, Mizoram too faces problems related to infiltration of contraband goods through the Myanmar route but the volume of smuggling prohibited items is far less in the neighbouring state apparently due to its government’s focus on promoting formal trade and commerce activities.
Here in the state the means and ways to improve trade and commerce and establish better connectivity with Myanmar as well as identify the bottlenecks are mainly confined to those in the academic circles holding periodical discourses whereas the ground reality is that the small-time businessmen/women eking out a living from import and export of goods to and from the Myanmar border have to pass through numerous security checkpoints consequently rendering meaningless the mark improvement in condition of the highway stretch.
For years, there have been suggestions from different quarters that the checking process need overhauling and replacing with thermal and X-ray screening devices but to no avail as security personnel continue to lethargically examine the loads thereby amounting to harassing the small-time traders.
While frequent detections of drugs and other banned items along the Imphal-Moreh section of the national highway necessitate minute examination of the goods, it seems that the government authorities are ignoring the fact that installation and use of modern technologies would expedite the process.
The government of Manipur must acknowledge that the increase in cases of smuggling drugs and other contraband items signifies gradual decline in formal trades in the Moreh-Myanmar markets.
With thousands of small time traders eking out livelihood through transportation of goods from Myanmar into the state or beyond, it is but natural that few hundreds of them would be enticed to explore trading of illegal goods in-spite of being fully aware of the risk involved.
Moreover, owing to the present geo-political instability in Myanmar coupled with the pandemic-induced restrictions on border trade and commerce activities the Moreh route is no more the commercial hotspot it used to be.
The uncertain state of affairs in Myanmar might be one of the factors for the Mizoram government to reach out to its international neighbour Bangladesh and sign pacts to promote people-to-people contact and strengthen cross border trading.
The series of agreements signed during the visit of Bangladesh’s commerce minister Tipu Munshi underscore that the government of Mizoram is leaving no stone unturned to explore and tap all available options rather than stick to Myanmar alone.
Regardless of the Bangladeshi minister commenting that his government is keen on fostering better ties with India especially the north-eastern states, the fact is Mizoram would be reaping maximum benefit from such a friendly approach from the neighbouring country for it has already signed a number of pacts that would help maintain good relationship with Bangladesh.
As such, it is hoped that the government of Manipur too would explore the opportunities and propose trade relations with Bangladesh, which is geographically closer than the mainland Indian states and has various products of high demand in the state.
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