AIZAWL:
Bangladesh is very keen to foster trade and expand ties with India along the Indo-Bangladesh border, informed Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on April 23.
“Bangladesh is very interested in importing vegetables and certain local products from Mizoram such as banana, chilli and boulder, among others,” Munshi said, addressing a public meeting at Kawrpuichhuah in Lunglei district, the proposed site for Integrated Check Post (ICP).
Munshi, who is on a three-day visit to Mizoram to take stock of proposed border trade projects, expressed hope that the proposed bilateral trade will cement ties between Bangladesh and Mizoram, besides bringing economic benefits to both the countries. Munshi, and a delegation from the neighbouring country, arrived in Mizoram on April 22.
Munshi further commended the state Government for initiating various border trade-related infrastructure developments, and stressed that Bangladesh is also committed to expedite infrastructure developments at their end.
At the public meeting, the Bangladesh Commerce Minister was accompanied by Mizoram Commerce and Industries Minister R Lalthangliana, Commerce and Industries (C&I) commissioner Esther Lalruatkimi, Md Abdus Samad Al Azad, joint secretary (FTA-1) Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh, and AKM Atiqul Haque, minister (Commercial), joint secretary, Bangladesh High Commission, New Delhi.
Lalthangliana, who also addressed the gathering, stated that the proposed ICP at Kawrpuichhuah has the potential to become a major trade corridor between India and Bangladesh. He outlined various initiatives of the Mizoram Government at both the Bangladesh and Myanmar borders, and stressed that developing border trade and related infrastructure is one of the main priorities of the state government.
Earlier in the day, the team visited proposed border haat sites within Mamit District in northern Mizoram, where the ministers jointly laid the foundation stone for a border haat at Sajek. Mizoram’s 318-km international border with Bangladesh falls within three Districts – Lunglei, Mamit and Lawngtlai.
Lalthangliana and his team had earlier visited Bangladesh in March 2021, and had met with Munshi to discuss various ongoing border trade projects and related issues.
The survey report for Kawrpuichhuah ICP was submitted by M/s Rites Ltd to the Union Home Ministry in 2005 and 140 acres of land has already been acquired for the purpose. The government has also set up a Trade Facilitation Centre in Tlabung town, 18 kms from Kawrpuichhuah.
On January 17, 2020, the Mizoram PWD had submitted a detailed project report (DPR) amounting to Rs 230 crores to Union Ministry of External Affairs for the construction of a 660 metres long double-lane concrete bridge over Kawrpui river to link Kawrpuichhuah with Bangladesh.
The double-lane, 18-km-long Tlabung-Kawrpuichhuah Road has already been completed by ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd. Another important component of the project is the widening and repair of the 100 km road between Tlabung and Lunglei, the district capital, has commenced recently, with related land survey work already being completed.