Will change law to remove hassles in trade: B�desh Minister

Shillong, Feb 6 (PTI) Bangladesh is ready to amend anylaw of the country to remove any legal hassle that hamperstrade between India and the country, Bangladesh CommerceMinister Muhammad Faruk Khan said.

"If there is any legal problem in Bangladesh, we cansolve it in three months. I can take it to the parliament andeven change the law. We look forward to India for doing thesame," Khan said here last night.

He was responding to queries on the problems faced bycompanies like Lafarge in Meghalaya. The French cement giantLafarge is engaged in a limestone mining project in Meghalaya� a project that is presently stopped by a court order - tofeed one of its cement plants in Bangladesh.

Khan, leading a high-powered business delegation fromthe neighbouring country, met Meghalaya Chief Minister MukulSangma and other state officials last night here and discussedmeasures to increase bilateral trade.

The meeting decided to form a task force to identifyitems of export and import and the prospects of investment. Itwill also recommend measures to remove hurdles if any inenhancing bilateral trade.

Underling power, agro-processing and the mineralsector as the key priorities, Khan said if businessman of boththe sides can take the opportunities, then "we should behaving very good trade in the next two-three years which willbenefit the entire region".

He also stressed the need for more Land CustomsStations (LCS) in the border to facilitate the trade.

Bangladesh also proposed the setting up of a jointcoal power plant along border, which would benefit bothMeghalaya and the neighbouring country.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma is understood tohave assured to set up a laboratory in Shillong for issuinghealth certificates to food items exported and imported fromthe region. .