Bangla stress on more land customs stns through NE

Guwahati: Bangladeshi delegates advocated establishment of more permanent land customs destinations between the two countries through the northeast, during a buyer-seller meet organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in association with the department of commerce, Union ministry of industry and commerce, held in the city on Thursday.
The idea of an Assam exhibition for cultural and trade exchange between the two countries was also mooted to be held in the state and Bangladesh during the two-day event.
India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IBCCI) secretary general, SM Abul Kalam Azad, while praising Assam’s mineral resources, horticulture and forestry, underlined the importance of the two permanent land customs stations between Assam and Bangladesh at Dhubri and Karimganj. He suggested the setting up of more land customs destinations. At present, there are 24 land ports between Bangladesh and India, of which five are operational in the northeast.
Azad thanked the Centre for giving a boost to trade relations between the two countries. He, however, pointed out the problems that come in between the trade exchange, like lack of communication infrastructure, visa issues, customs and tariffs and non-tariff barriers, lack of digital networking, red tape and bureaucratic issues.
Feurdouzi Begum, director of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), stressed on the agricultural sector and briefed the gathering on the Ukraine-Russia War and its impact on trade and business.
Vice-president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, deliberated on the vitality of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for bilateral business, business treaties and protocal.
Arvind Basavaraj Akashi, manager, Land Ports Authority of India, emphasised the role of regulatory authorities. He stressed on cross-border trade potential through ICPs, internal, external factors, suggested a plan to ICC such as to conduct trade facilitation workshops at district levels for trade awareness in the border areas.