Kohima, March 03 2009: The proposed visit of the Chief Ministers of north eastern states tomorrow to the Bangladesh capital, Dhaka has been postponed in view of the prevailing situation in Bangladesh.

Earlier, a delegation of the chief ministers of the north eastern states led by Union DONER minister Mani Shankar Aiyar was scheduled to visit Bangladesh on tomorrow (March 4) to discuss trade relations.

Even though Manipur Chief Minister, O Ibobi was planned to be part of the delegation had earlier had out of the team apparently due to the worsen law and order situation and in the wake of series of protests in the aftermath of murder of the SDO Dr Kishan and his two staffs by the cadres of the NSCN (IM) cadres in Senapati. But, he was among the members of the delegation applied for political clearance to the Union Ministry of External Affairs like the Chief Ministers of other state Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, official source here said. The visit was aimed at opening providing transit facilities to India through Chittagong and other ports in Bangladesh.

Commodities and machinery can be transported to the northeast from various parts of India and abroad, saving huge time and money.

The ministry of development of north eastern region (DoNER) sponsored the first-ever chief ministers� delegation to Bangladesh which planned to meet with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Trade and Commerce minister Farooq Khan and President Zillur Rahman March 4 and 5 to discuss the transit and other trade and business related matters.

The transit facilities through Bangladesh would help bypass the difficult chicken neck corridor that connects the landlocked northeast with the rest of India.

If Dhaka provides transit facilities to India and allows the use of Chittagong international port and other ports in Bangladesh, commodities and machinery can be transported to the northeast from various parts of India and abroad, saving huge time and money.

Agartala is 1,650 km from Kolkata and 2,637 km from New Delhi via Guwahati, whereas the distance between the Tripura capital and Kolkata via Bangladesh is about 350 km.

A 21-member Bangladeshi delegation last month visited the region and stressed the need for transit facilities and enhancing business with northeast India.

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