Even as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined by his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the Moitree Shetu — the 1.9-km-long bridge is built over Feni River, which flows between Indian boundary in Tripura and Bangladesh — on 9 March, heralding a new chapter in relations between the two neighbours, the Bangladesh premier has underlined it would facilitate easier trade with Nepal and Bhutan as well.
We expect that the framework we are inaugurating today will also help Bangladesh trade more easily not only with India, but with Nepal and Bhutan as well, reportedly, stated Sheikh Hasina in a video message during the inauguration while adding that political boundaries should not become physical barriers to trade.
Underlining that this will create a new era in South Asia through providing connectivity to India, Hasina further said, “We are in a region which has remained conservative in opening up and where inter-regional trade is far below its potential.”
Meanwhile, as per the World Bank, seamless transport connectivity between India and Bangladesh has the potential to increase national income by as much as 17 per cent in Bangladesh, while the same stands at 8 per cent in case of India.
It may be mentioned here that India has emerged as a strong export destination for ‘Made in Bangladesh’ products including apparel items, while Bangladesh recently signed its first Preferential Trade Agreement with Bhutan thereby allowing duty free access to a range of products between the two nations even as goods like baby clothes and accessories, men’s trousers, jackets and blazers and jute and jute products, are amongst the 100 items from Bangladesh which will get duty free access to Bhutan.
Also Read: B’desh, Bhutan to work together to take advantage of Preferential Trade Agreement: Reports
