NEFIT seek MEA intervention on truckers' passport to Bangladesh

Shillong, Sep 4 (UNI) The North East Federation of International Trade would soon approach the Ministry of External Affairs to exempt truck drivers and cleaners from having passport while transporting goods to Bangladesh.

The Federation took this decision following an MEA notification that all Indian citizens would have to use a passport to enter Bangladesh.

'' We have decided to take up the matter with MEA officials to exempt truck drivers and cleaners from having a passport, '' NEFIT president R C Agarwala told UNI on the sidelines of the Indo-Bangla Exporters Importer Business conclave, held here today.

Mr Agarwala said the Federation would also broach the Asom and Meghalaya governments to take up this issue with the Centre.

Pointing out that the new initiatives taken by MEA would hamper Indo-Bangla trade relation through North Eastern states, the NEFIT president urged the Congress-led UPA government to allow truck drivers and cleaners to enter inside Bangladesh without passport for the economy of the region and the country as a whole.

'' It's not a fact that truck drivers will bring underground elements from Bangladesh to the region. The truck drivers will be thoroughly checked by the BSF while returning to India, '' he said.

Mr Agarwala said truckers would find it difficul in procuring passports and fulfiling formalities of having a visa. '' So shortage of truck drivers to ferry goods is a strong possibility which could hit the trade hard, '' he asserted.

New Delhi took this decision after determining that North East militants, based in Bangladesh, smugglers and human traffickers could easily misuse the present arrangement.

A huge volume of coal trade to the tune of 15,000 mt per day is exported to Bangladesh through six land customs stations - Dawki, Ghausuapara, Shella, Ichamati, Borsora and Sutarkandi.

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