Source: Hueiyen News Service / Agency
Dhaka, February 03 2010:
Bangladesh is creating two new land ports on its border with India in an effort to boost bilateral trade with northeastern states of the neighbouring country.
A high-powered inter-ministerial team of experts recommended the government to set up two new land customs stations (LCS) at Thegamuk in Rangamati and Ramgarh in Khagrachari after conducting a feasibility study last month.
The seven-member team, comprising senior officials of ministries of commerce, home, foreign, finance and land port authority (LPA), has suggested the government to improve infrastructure for maximum utilisation of those ports.
The seven relatively unexplored and isolated Indian states include Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.
Bangladesh will be able to initiate bilateral trade with Mizoram and Sabrum of Tripura through Thegamuk and Ramgarh land ports.
The study team has found no proper infrastructure connecting the border points.
It has proposed the government to construct two bridges - one to connect Ramgarh with Sabrum in India and another to link Thegamuk with Demagri on the other side of the border.
Ramgarh is well connected with Dhaka, Chittagong and Khagrachari, but there is no road communication between Thegamuk and Rangamati, the study report said.
Thegamuk is communicable only through river route, which remain navigable for only 7-8 months in a year.
The LCS can be utilised round the year if a road communication is established from Thegamuk to Khagrachari through Boraharina and Longadu, the study report said.
For Ramgarh LCS, the study team proposed to build a bridge over the Feni river.
The visit was arranged following a recommendation of the
Last Joint working group meeting on trade held on 27-29 August last year.
The study team visited the locations early last month and submitted two reports last week suggesting establishment of two LCS in those areas.
In the report, the team has listed eight possible exportable items including cement, bricks, processed foods, plastic goods, dry fish, toiletries, ceramic and melamine table wares.
It has identified timber, bamboo, stone, sari and spices as possible import items.