SHILLONG: A Round Table captioned “India’s Look East Policy: The Look South Aspect: Exploring win-win synergies through Indo-Bangladesh Border Trade and Tourism was organised by Asian Confluence Centre on Monday.
Supported by the Department of Commerce and Industry, government of Meghalaya the participants included tour operators, hoteliers and tourism-based NGOs like the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF), academics, media persons, officials of the NEC and State Govt and civil society from North-east India and Bangladesh
In his opening remarks MP Bezbaruah, member, NEC, said the Vision Document for North-east was crafted with the idea of bringing the region to centre stage but it failed to take off. “We have not really articulated what we want from the Look East Policy which has remained only a slogan. I would expect civil society from all eight states to come up with concrete ideas on what we actually want to cull out from the Look East Policy. Myanmar and Bangladesh will play an important role in development of North-East.
Speaking as moderator, A.H.Scott Lyngdoh, former Home and Finance Minister, Meghalaya said many seminars were held and several papers produced and recommendations made but there is no headway made.
“Let this round table come up with a few key points that can be pursued vigorously so that the Look East Policy is operationalised,” he said.
Prof Mesba Kamal of Dacca University, who had earlier visited Shillong, proposed that a student exchange programme be organised between universities of the North-East offering Tourism Management as a course and Dacca University.
There was a unanimous proposal for setting up a visa office in Shillong or Guwahati since the present visa clearance has to be done either from Agartala in Tripura or from Kolakata.
Other proposals included setting up of a platform for tourism promotion in the North Eastern Region which should be a non-government body, to push for a comprehensive Tourism Policy for the entire region.
Participants from both countries who attended the round table also pointed to the difficulties posed while crossing the border such as the long wait at the customs station and absence of basic civic amenities such as toilets and drinking water. Also discussed were the fact that no officer from the North Eastern Region is posted at the Indian Embassy in Bangladesh or Myanmar.
Anthony Pariat of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation informed that four AC Volvo buses are ready for operation along the Amlarem-Dawki-Tamabil route and will become operational after the elections.
The Department of Trade and Commerce has also made significant headway. Of the total 10 Land Customs Stations (LCS) 8 are fully functional. An amount of Rs 60 crore has been allotted by the Central Govt which wants the LCSs to become operational.
Prof Mesba Kamal, however, rued the fact that getting permission to travel to India, despite his having a one year, multiple entry visa proved to be a difficult task.
“It is difficult to access the website of the Indian High Commission and often we have to go to the agents to get our visa. Surely this is not how neighbours should behave,” Prof Kamal observed, adding that it is also important to build a positive image of Bangladesh amongst Indians through the media.
Prof Kamal also pointed out that states like Meghalaya and Assam need the Chittagong port for their exports/imports and hence Bangladesh is important to them.
Meanwhile the Director, Asian Confluence Centre, Sabyasachi Dutta has been tasked with distilling the key take-aways from the Round Table and set out concrete action plans which will be taken up by different civil society stakeholders with state governments of the region and the central government acting as facilitators.