Assam seeks use of Bangladesh port
Assam industries minister Pradyut Bordoloi with his West Bengal counterpart Nirupam Sen in Guwahati on Friday.
Guwahati/Shillong, Feb 22 : The industry ministers of Assam and West Bengal, Pradyut Bordoloi and Nirupam Sen, have agreed on using the Brahmaputra to ferry goods to and from the Northeast to cut down on huge transportation costs.
Sen and Bordoloi met here on Friday to discuss issues “beneficial to both the states” and also stressed on increased transit facility through Bangladesh to enable more trade through the Calcutta port.
Bordoloi today said Assam exported goods to Bangladesh through Calcutta and West Bengal also sent goods to Assam but both faced the problem of having no viable waterway.
“We discussed ways and means through which National Waterway II on the Brahmaputra can be used to cut down on transportation costs,” he added.
Bordoloi will lead a high-level delegation of ministers and businessmen from the Northeast to the three-day India Trade Fair 2010 to be held at Dhaka from Tuesday.
The minister hopes to convince the Sheikh Hasina-led government to use river transit routes through the neighbouring country.
The visit of the leaders from the Northeast will be the first after Sheikh Hasina’s recent goodwill visit to India.
It comes in the wake of the neighbouring country’s action against militants from the region taking shelter there.
The ministerial delegation will include representatives from all the northeastern states, besides government officials and industry captains.
The region’s interest in the trade summit lies in the special North East Conclave, to be held on Friday.
The trade summit will be held at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.
“We have also sought an appointment with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hope to meet her as well. We are looking ahead to the conclave, as our business delegation will be able to have direct talks with industry captains and government officials of Bangladesh,” Bordoloi said.
Sen, who went to Meghalaya yesterday on a private visit, said in Shillong late last evening that in the context of hike in oil prices, the use of roadways has become expensive for the Assam government.
The discussions with Bordoloi revolved around exploring the possibility of using the Brahmaputra for transport.
According to Sen, there was a need for better linkage between Assam and West Bengal for mutual benefit.
Delhi has been pressing Dhaka for transit routes to help the landlocked Northeast.
India has sought access to Chittagong port to cut down on huge transport costs and save time.
New Delhi is also pursuing its proposal to designate Ashuganj port in Brahmanbaria (in eastern Bangladesh) as a new port of call and to allow India the use of Chittagong port.
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