Bangladesh keen for business links with India: Abida

"Trade links will help Bangladesh as well as India in their overall economic progress," Islam told PTI here.

The viable possibility to expand the Indo-Bangladesh business link was through south Assam as that was the shortest distance between the two countries, she said.

"The distance between Silchar and Dhaka is less then 500 km while Sylhet in Bangladesh is less then 100 km away from here," she said.

"Silchar will be connected through the proposed Trans-Asian Highway (road) project," she said.

Stating Bangladesh had participated in three International Trade Fairs in India last year, she said this year her country joined six ITFs.

"Bangladesh is participating in an ITF that began here in south Assam yesterday as a partner country with a big representative team of businessmen, industrialists, government officers among others," she said.

The neighbouring country has set up 26 pavilions in the Fair where businessmen from Thailand and Sri Lanka are also participating.