SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on Thursday to discussed on issues of agriculture, horticulture, power sector, tourism and mining.
Addressing the media, he said that meeting with Hasina was positive one in which issues relating to the relationship with Meghalaya and Bangladesh and India as a whole was discussed such as economic possibilities.
“Connectivity is very important and waterway is something we can develop. She informed that there are a number of projects under railways and under road connectivity which will allow access to North East through Chittagong”, Sangma said.
The CM also spoke about the heritage and the linkage between the past history that India and Bangladesh shares, specifically with Meghalaya. He informed her about the visit to the jail where U Tirot Sing Syiem, the Khasi freedom fighter was jailed.
Sangma spoke to Hasina that linking the cultural heritage with Bangladesh will be a starting point to build a stronger relationship and to take economic relationship forward.
To a query, he said that to take matters forward, the state government of Meghalaya would discuss and consider the involvement of government of India and government of Bangladesh.
He added that for a start, the existing entry and exit points, ICPs, infrastructure, land custom stations, border haats were to be ensured that the infrastructure in these locations and the movement of people and goods should be streamlined as far as possible with technological intervention and said, “With that aspect, we are moving with the government of India, the Home Ministry, Commerce Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry”.
Sangma said to get the economic activities going, the state government is also looking at developing Tourism and informed that an MoU was signed between tour operators of both nations.
“The MoU will help allowing smoother flow for the tourists”, he said.
Another sector that the state government is looking at is agriculture, he said that Bangladesh has the manufacturing capability while Meghalaya has the raw materials which are yet to find a market for it keeping in mind agriculture and food processing.
On the other hand, Sangma said that mining had a large scope and said that a lot of things were happening in the mining sector which needs to be streamlined.