Bangladesh to extend trade with Nepal, Bhutan and India's northeast

Agartala (Tripura, India), Jan 13 (PTI) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that her country wanted to further trade with Nepal, Bhutan and India's North-East which would be possible "if both countries come forward with open mind to solve common problems". The Bangladesh Prime Minister called for mutual trust, cooperation and cordial relations in building infrastructure to enhance bilateral trade and eradicate poverty. Speaking at a civic reception organised by Agartala Municipal Council (AMC) in her honour, Hasina said on Thursday based on mutual trust and cordial relations, infrastructure like roads, railway connectivity and Land Custom Stations should be built on both sides of the border for enhanced trade which would eradicate poverty, "the common enemy" of the two countries. She said Bangladesh had agreed to open its Chittagong and Mongla ports and Ashuganj river port for use by India. Work on the Agartala-Akhaura railway line connecting it with Bangladesh Railways was in progress and infrastructure in the Land Custom Stations (LCS) on both sides were being built. "We also want to extend our business to Nepal and Bhutan and India's North-East which would be possible if both the countries come forward with open mind to solve common problems between the two countries", she told a mammoth gathering here which was the concluding event of her two day visit to Tripura. "Some issues like dispute of demarcation of land between the two countries were solved and we are discussing regarding the sharing of water and I hope India would come forward with more liberal attitude to solve the problem," Hasina said. She also hoped that India would sell a portion of power to Bangladesh generated from the Palatana project "which would help our country overcome power shortage." Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the 726 MW Palatana power project would start generation within a few months and Tripura had an allotment of 196 MW of which he volunteered to sell a part to Bangladesh if the central Indian government had no objection. He also said the 104 mg watt Monarchak power project in the state would also start generation soon from where a portion could be sold to the neighbour. Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said her country would always remember the contribution of India during the Liberation War in 1971 and the people of Tripura who sheltered more than 1.5 million refugees which was more than it's own population. During her two day stay in Tripura, besides the civic reception, Sheikh Hasina also received an honorary doctorate in literature from Tripura University and attended an India-Bangladesh business meet. She has since returned to Dhaka by a special aircraft. PTI Caption for pic: Chairman of Agartala Municipal Council (AMC) Prafullajit Sinha presenting a ‘citation’ to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a reception in Agartala on Thursday. PTI Photo