India-Bangladesh inks MOU on bamboo export

Aizawl, Jun 26 (UNI) Bangladesh government has signed a 2.5 million US dollar contract with the Mizoram government in abid to improve bilateral ties with India.

The state's Bamboo Development Agency (BDA), has been entrusted with exporting bamboos from the state to NITOL Paper and Pulp Mill Limited, Bangladesh.

" As per the agreement, BDA would export 400 MT of both green bamboo and bamboo chips to NITOL everyday for one year", agriculture minister H Ramawai told UNI.

Moreover, the rates of green bamboos have been fixed at 33 US dollars per mega tonnes and bamboo chips at 48 US dollars per mega tonnes, he added. At the same time he clarified that the period of one year would be extented to ten years based on the performance.

The first batch of bamboo is likely to be transported by next month and delivery port has been fixed at 'Sutarkandi'land customs station, 14-km from Karimganj in Asom.

NITOL Chairman and Managing Director A M Ahmed said "our government is keen to import garments, cosmetic items, cement and other consumer products from India".

He also appealed the trading community across the NE region to come forward for a business tie-up with various organisations in Bangladesh.

To meet the increasing demand to supply bamboos for the period of ten years, the Mizoram government under the industries department would be setting up about eight more bamboo chipping units across the states, joint director, industries, G Malsawmdawngliana said.

Karnaphuli Paper Mill, Chittagong and Chatak Paper Mill, Syhlet have also approached the government to supply more than one lakh MT bamboo chips on a regular basis.

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