FROM AGARTALA:  Indian state of Tripura is mostly dependent on Bangladesh for their daily commodities as it takes only four hours to import goods from Bangladesh and 10 hours from Assam and 18 hours from Kolkata.

Agartala Chamber of Commerce and Industries president ML Debnath told this in an interview with banglanews in Agartala.

He said Bangladesh is adjacent to Tripura that saves transport cost. They import mainly cement, jute products, plastic products, soft drinks, corrugated tin sheets, fish, dryfish and so on.

While answering a question the president said ‘Pran’ products have grabbed most of the demands in Tripura. However, ‘Pran’ company started its export to Tripura from 1997.

After starting business with Tripura, Bangladesh also spreads the business with six other northeastern states of India which are called ‘Seven Sisters’.

Goods mostly come from Bangladesh to Tripura through Akhaura-Agartala land port, and later they go to the other states. For that, the land port is called an ‘integrated check post’, he added.

Every year, Bangladesh export goods of Tk 350 crore to Tripura and Bangladesh also import products of Tk 1 crore from there.

ML Debnath said in these seven Indian states there are few industries or factories. They need to import almost everything as few goods are being produced there.

According to him, besides Pran, Abul Khayer, Akij, Al Amin and other companies also export goods to Tripura.

BDST: 2125 HRS, August 3, 2015
BD/RR