Sub-region has potential to achieve rapid progress

CHITTAGONG, Dec 3: Speakers at a seminar have said that the eastern South Asia Sub-region is one of the least developed areas of the whole world with the majority of the people of Bangladesh and India living in abject poverty and economic deprivation.
If the whole area is considered as one economic entity, it will emerge as a vastly potential candidate for achieving rapid economic progress with proper institutional and policy changes.
They said in the light of the existing political realities the policymakers of both the countries should really mean to carry forward the mission of building up a viable infrastructural management for enhancing regional connectivity in the near future.
The seminar on 'Bangladesh-India Connectivity: Opportunities and Challenges' was addressed as the chief guest by Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, MP. The seminar was jointly organised by Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and High Commission of India in Bangladesh at Agrabad Hotel in the city today.
Prof Muinul Islam of the Economics Department of Chittagong University presented keynote paper while Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran, MA Latif MP, president of Tripura Chamber of Commerce ML Devnath, MD of AK Khan Group Salauddin Kashem Khan, honorary consul of Japan Nurul Islam, former CCCI president Mirza Abu Mansur and CCCI senior vice president Nurun Newaj Selim addressed the seminar chaired by CCCI president Mahbubul Alam.
Obaidul Quader said: "We need to build up 'people to people bridge'; partnership and the diplomacy between Bangladesh and India should be proactive, not on the negative approach. There is a lack of trust between people of both the countries which should be shattered," he said.
He informed that the agreement on construction of the immersed tunnel under the Karnaphuli River would be signed within a short time. The work of the Marine Drive from Cox's Bazar to Mirsarai is underway and 68 kilometres of the same has already been completed from Cox's Bazar to Teknaf. Construction of the Ghundum-Teknaf road is also lying with the Planning Ministry for approval.
Pankaj Saran said governments of both the countries are trying to improve bilateral relation. India is always ready to ensure a better socio-economic relation and has given priority to the infrastructure development along the border.
He presented a detailed description of the initiatives taken by the governments of India and Bangladesh towards a liberal trade regime. At the 9th Joint Group of Customs held in Dhaka on October 21-22, 2013, some 16 land customs stations (LCSs) which were considered important for bilateral trade were identified and it was decided that their working hours will be synchronised and has come into effect from January 1, 2014.
 Prof Muinul Islam in his keynote paper said Chittagong has got the prospect to become a regional trading and transport hub of the eastern South Asia. If concerted efforts are undertaken by Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Bhutan and China for developing Chittagong Port and the proposed deep sea port at Sonadia for their wider economic hinterlands located in eastern Indian States, Nepal, Bhutan, and even China, Thailand and Myanmar, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar can be the 'second Singapore' of Asia.
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