By Firstdespatch Desk Sep 02, 2022
Agartala, Sept 2 (FD) There number of vexed issues related to Tripura and neighbouring Bangladesh like, trade imbalance, opening of border haats etc, which would be taken up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Bangladesh Counterpart, Sheikh Hasina on their parley on Sept 6 in Delhi.
Speaking to reporters at the civil secretariat here today, Special Secretary for Industries and Commerce Abhishek Chandra said, "There are number of pending issues with Bangladesh.Two Border Haats with Bangladesh were stopped during COVID pandemic and weren't opened. We have requested to allow movement of goods and services in these but it's still awaiting approval. There is also some objection about an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Muhurighat in South Tripura. PM Modi has agreed to take up these issues with Bangladesh PM on September 06".
He said, export of Indian goods through Tripura has increased by 158 percent in the last three years, but still there is trade imbalance with neighbouring country and Tripura, which share 856 km long border.
While the trade volume with Bangladesh used to be Rs. 390.68 crores, the figures now stand at Rs. 1008.40 crores.
“Though the state could increase the export of trade volume, but still it is uneven as only 30 percent of the trade volume involves export to Bangladesh and 70 percent of the trade comes from goods imported from the country. Prime Minister also agreed to take the issue with Bangladesh premier”, he said.
Bangladesh allow only 16 items for export to Bangladesh.
These include rubber and tea, two of the most important cash crops of Tripura, which has the potential of significantly boosting the state's trade prospects.
"Rubber goes to Bangladesh from Petrapole-Benapole in West Beng. If we could send from here, it could alone boost the prospects. Our tea can be exported there with 80 percent duty, which makes it uncompetitive in Bangladesh. That's why our trade balance is slanted. The PM would take up different issues from NE India with the Bangladesh premier, including issues pertaining to Tripura.
In terms of volume, Indo-Bangla trade through six Land Customs Stations (LCS) and Integrated Check Posts in Tripura increased by Rs. 14.65 crores in 2018-19, by Rs. 30.34 crores in 2019-20 and Rs. 16.39 crores in 2020-21.
Tripura is not allowed to export its main cash crops - rubber and tea to Bangladesh, the highest export volume comes from wheat, which isn't even grown in a major way here, meaning the state is used as an export corridor for the product instead of a growing region.
The Industries and Commerce Special Secretary said Maitree setu on River Feni in the southernmost border town of Sabroom would be inaugurated on September 09, which would grant access to Chittagong Port in Bangladesh and boost trade volume.
He also said while a trial run was done with Mongla port in Bangladesh recently, the services would now need to be made more regular. FD JK