PM will raise transit and transhipment issue for NE during SAARC summit

India is expected to raise transit and transhipment issue for transporting and trafficking men and materials between North-Eastern Region and rest of the country via Bangladesh when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Dhaka in connection with South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit. 

Bangladesh hosts the summit of SAARC in Dhaka from November 12 to 13. SAARC consist of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 

Dr Singh, during his recent visit to Tripura, had indicated this to Tripura Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who submitted a memorandum to him.

The memorandum demanded including transit and transhipment through Bangladesh. 

"I will go Dhaka to participate in the SAARC summit and hope this summit will give a new fillip to economic and cultural integration of our north east region," Dr Singh had said. 

Talking to newspersons in Agartala Wednesday, the chief minister said that Tripura could be the gateway for south east Asia in general and north east in particular as the Chittagong port in Bangladesh is just 75 km from the south Tripura's sub-divisional town Sabroom and Ashuganj port in that country is just few km from Agartala. 

If Bangladesh allowed the transit and transhipment facility for the north eastern states, that country (Bangladesh) itself would be benefitted in many ways, Sarkar said adding, that the state government also aproached Dr Singh to sanction another alternative national highway from Sabroom to Kukital in Assam via west Dhalai and north Tripura districts. 

If the existing Assam-Agartala national highway was made four lanes as announced by Dr Singh and the alternative national highway sanctioned the state, there would be a real gateway for south east Asia, Sarkar pointed out. 

Dr Singh said in Agartala that the improved air, rail, road and telecommunication connectivity between north eastern region of India and south east Asia would revive old trade routes to enable the creativity of the people of this region and find greater expression.

Dr Singh had said, "Our north eastern states are India's gateway to south east Asia and this is a reality not just in terms of physical connectivity, but also in terms of economic outreach and cultural affinities." The development of the north east region and its integration with the larger regional processes were the prime determining factors of India's engagement with regional cooperation, Dr Singh had said adding, this region would derive benefit from SAARC, Bay of Bengal Initiative for Trade and Economic Cooperation and Association os South East Asian Nations. 

Dr Singh said India's 'Look East' policy, initiated by the Congress government in the early 1990s, had brought India closure to its eastern neighbours.

"A month later I will be in Kuala Lumpur to participate in the East Asian Summit and the early completion of the South Asia Free Trade Agreement process and the India-ASEAN free trade agreement will create new trading and investment opportunities, while the launching of BIMSTE has brought India closure to Mayanmar and Thailand," he pointed out.