B'desh should liberalise import rules. demands Tripura CM

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Sunday, demanded that Bangladesh should liberalise its import rules so that the products from Tripura could be easily exported to the neighbouring country.

"There are barriers in exporting products like rubber sheet from Tripura to Bangladesh, however, the same products could be sent through Benapole border. We have listed 17 items which we want to export to Bangladesh through Akhaura border here", said Tripura CM.

According to Deb, if these items can legally be exported then both the governments will be benefited in the form of revenue and stop illegal trade.

The 17 items that the Tripura Chief Minister wants to export to Bangladesh include rubber sheet, tea, cash nut, pineapples, jackfruits, ginger and black pepper.

Deb said that he would also raise this point in the meeting of North Eastern Council to begin in Shillong on July 9, where many Central Ministers including Home Minister Rajnath Singh would be in attendance.

Deb added that he would also take up the matter with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, NITI Ayog and even the Prime Minister.

"We get many items from Bangladesh, including tasty Hilsa and even vegetables and that is why the government of India is opening border 'haats'. We have proposed for four more border 'haats' so that the economy of Tripura can grow through legal trade," he said.

Chief Minister further said Tripura government was also working hard to implement the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target of doubling the income of the farmers by 2022.

He informed that Tripura holds the first position in water-efficient farming states in the Northeastern region.