Agartala: Welcoming the agreements reached
between Bangladesh and India, Tripura trade bodies on Tuesday
demanded transit facility through the neighbouring country for
the people of the North-East.
"We are very happy that three treaties and one MoU have
been signed in Delhi during the visit of Bangladesh Prime
Minister, Sheikh Hasina yesterday, but people of land-locked
North-East would be highly benefited if Bangladesh extends
transit facility to us also," Secretary Tripura Chamber of
Commerce M L Debnath said today.
He said that trade bodies in the region, including the
Tripura Chamber of Commerce have been demanding transit
facility through Bangladesh, an Agartala-Akhaura rail link and
use of the Chittagong sea port and river ports which includes
Ashuganj, so that communication and trade between the
countries and India`s North-East area could be enhanced.
"We want restoration of the pre-partition communication
map for better trade," he said.
The Tea Association of India (TAI) also demanded transit
through the Bangladesh to increase export of tea from Tripura
and Assam.
Tripura produces 78 lakh kg and Assam about 4,500 lakh
kg every year on an average, but consumes only ten per cent of
the total production, TAI officials said.
It takes about three days to take tea from here to
Kolkata for auction, but if transit was available it could be
taken in a day, the official said.
PTI
