The governments of Mizoram and Bangladesh held bilateral talks to boost border trade and communication links between the northeastern state and the neighbouring country, an official statement said on Monday.
During his meeting with Bangladesh commerce minister Tipu Munshi at Dhaka on Sunday, Mizoram commerce and industries minister Lalthangliana proposed a “joint spot verification visit” to expedite the construction of Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Kawrpuichhuah in Tlabung area in south Mizoram’s Lunglei district to boost border trade.
The joint spot verification is planned to be conducted in May, it said.
Lalthangliana informed Munshi that a trade felicitation centre was already opened at Kawrpuichhuah during the previous Mizo National Front (MNF) government between 1998 and 2008 to boost border trade.
He urged the Bangladeshi government to play its part and execute necessary works expeditiously so that the border haats along the Indo-Bangladesh border are fully operational and make use by both the countries.
Citing that there is ample scope for boosting trade and commerce between Mizoram and Bangladesh, Lalthangliana also informed the Bangladeshi minister that Mizoram can export bamboos, timbers, gingers, chillies, spice, turmeric, orange, stone and handicraft products, the statement said.
Later in the day, Lalthangliana also met with Sheikh Fazle, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the apex trade organization of Bangladesh.