GUWAHATI: Bangladesh Minister of Commerce, Tipu Munshi, on Wednesday emphasised on improving road connectivity between Meghalaya capital, Shillong and Chittagong with an eye on boosting cross-border trade between Northeast India and Bangladesh.
“Road connectivity between Shillong and Chittagong has to be improved and I promise to do something in this direction. Considering the 1741-km long land border which India’s Northeastern region shares with Bangladesh, there is tremendous potential for the growth of North East India-Bangladesh cross-border trade through the surface route,” Munshi said on Wednesday.
Addressing students and academicians at a programme on “India’s North East and Bangladesh: Higher Education Roadmap” at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) in Ri Bhoi, Munshi also stressed on educational and cultural connectivity between Bangladesh and North East India.
“Heart to heart connectivity, which includes educational, sports and cultural ties, is also very important for advancing relationship between Bangladesh and India. I appreciate the success story of USTM chancellor, Mahbubul Hoque within 19 years’ time and his effort in promoting higher education in the region. USTM and the North East can be the next education destination from Bangladesh. I believe USTM is one of the best universities in North East India,” the minister said.
He further expressed his gratitude to the government of India for helping Bangladesh in the hour of crisis.
The programme was attended among others by AHM Ahsan, joint secretary, ministry of commerce, Bangladesh; Salim Hussain, deputy secretary, ministry of commerce, Bangladesh; Abdul Hannan and Azizur Zaman, eminent social workers and businessmen from Bangladesh; A Hoque, commerce councillor, Bangladesh; SM Tanvir Monsur, assistant high commissioner of Bangladesh to India.
Welcoming the delegates, the USTM chancellor said that the Bangladesh commerce minister’s visit to India would create new vistas in developing the India-Bangladesh international corridor which is vital to India’s Act East Policy, advancing mutually beneficial partnership in both conventional and non-conventional areas.
Speaking on the occasion, Tanvir Monsur said that educational and cultural connectivity between Bangladesh and India’s North East can be started initially by introducing programmes like students’ exchange, excursions and workshops and graduation programme. “Tourism sector in Meghalaya has great potential to woo people from Bangladesh,” he said.
