Drive for sub-regional cooperation

The envoys of Bhutan, India and Nepal in Dhaka have come together in an innovative programme to promote sub-regional cooperation with Bangladesh.

They would travel together from Dhaka to India, Bhutan and Nepal by land in a first-of-its-kind initiative.

The Indian High Commission in Dhaka says Bangladesh government will back their travel. The Indian High Commissioner announced the programme on Thursday.

Bhutanese ambassador Pema Choden, Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran, and Nepalese ambassador Hari Kumar Shrestha will undertake the journey from Nov 9 to Nov 12.

A Bangladesh foreign ministry representative will also be part of the team.

The objective is to focus on sub-regional cooperation in the crucial areas of trade, transit, border infrastructure and connectivity.

The Indian team will also include Joint Secretary (States) Gopal Baglay of the country’s external affairs ministry.

The team will visit the Bangladesh-India-Bhutan-Nepal border areas and Land Customs Stations and Immigration Posts servicing international trade and people-to-people contact in the sub-region.

They will visit the Land Customs Stations of Burimari-Changrabandha (Bangladesh-India), Phuentsholing-Jaigaon (Bhutan-India), Kakarbhitta-Panitanki (Nepal-India) and Phulbari-Banglabandha (India-Bangladesh).

They will also visit land ports in those places to see the existing infrastructure and facilities, and meet land port officials.

During the visit, the team will have discussions with Chambers of Commerce in Phuentsholing (Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Kakarbhitta (Mechi Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Siliguri (Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of North Bengal – FOCIN) and the Panchagarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Panchgarh Exporters-Importers Association.

They would also hold meetings with Customs and Immigration Officials at the border points, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said.