From C K Nayak
NEW DELHI: Northeastern states are likely to gain most from the growing Indo-Bangladesh relationship especially in the field of connectivity and people-to-people contact, the Bangladeshi High Commissioner to India, Syed Muazzem Ali said here on Thursday.
During an interaction with the members of Indian Association of Foreign Affairs Correspondents here, Ali, who was born and brought up in undivided Assam, said that this budding bilateral relationship will further get a boost with the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Dhaka.
Some NE state capitals like Shillong, Guwahati and Agartala might be linked with bus services through Dhaka and Kolkata, the High Commissioner said.
“But above all the old rail network which existed from Sylhet to Peshwar through India may be operational again,” he said.
The Chittagong port will also be opened for North East, Ali said.
Modi, along with his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, is likely to flag off the first Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus in Dhaka on June 6, possibly in the presence of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, reports said.
In a historic step towards sub-regional cooperation, India will, for the first time, use Bangladesh territory as a transit corridor to reach one of its furthest corners, cutting down on both travel time and distance by one-fourth. From Agartala, it takes over three days to reach Kolkata through a complex route which would now take less than a day, the report said. The High Commissioner profusely thanked Modi and India for clearing the operationalisation of the Land Boundary Agreement that provided for exchange of territories. This will settle an old issue and will prepare new grounds for enhancing bilateral ties especially in economic sector, he said.
Asked about the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh, he said the pact will lead towards more economic integration and take care of any such issue.
Ali felt the problem of illegal immigration was “irrelevant” as living standards in both countries is now “comparable”. “The quality of life on both sides of border is now mostly equal as human resource indicators in his country have improved vastly,” he said. The Bangladesh envoy also assured to upgrade its Visa offices in North East for more people to people contact.
He also said his country was ready for joint venture with India in sectors like hyderopower, pharma and food processing.
He said that his country was looking for joint ventures in energy sector which will help in Bangladesh’s economic integration with India. (With inputs from PTI)