The BIMSTEC Business Conclave held in Kolkata, India, on 13-15 June 2023 brought together business leaders and entrepreneurs from the BIMSTEC region, providing a platform to discuss business opportunities, challenges, solutions, and possibilities of business collaborations on the basis of market complementarities among the BIMSTEC Member States.

During the meeting, participants from the business sector highlighted the need to develop the Bhutan-Siliguri (India)-Bangladesh corridor. Siliguri in northern West Bengal, India, is strategically placed to boost trade in the region.

According to report from the Press Trust of India, BIMSTEC businessmen underscored how improving road connectivity in this corridor will help improve trade volume and generate employment in the region.

Mr. Aviral Jain, Chief of Pristine Hindustan Infraprojects Projects Private Limited, stated that Siliguri’s rail network can be used by all the countries to send consignments. He also noted that Dabgram is strategically located to serve a huge catchment area of North Bengal, Sikkim, North Bihar, and Northeast. It is the first rail-linked dry port in the North Bengal region and caters to transit shipments for Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

Mr. Rabiul Alam, managing director of Shams Group of Companies in Bangladesh, noted that river routes between the nations should be developed for better trade relations.

Mr. Gopal Waiba Lama, Managing Director of Sunrise Export of Bhutan, shared that Bhutan is completely dependent on road transport. Bhutan also needs waterways to be developed as the nation has two important rivers that can be used for ferrying goods between the two nations. He shared that the water port at Lhamoizingkha in Bhutan’s southern region would be greatly beneficial for trade and commerce, and added that the Eastern Waterways Grid has the potential to revive the economies of Bhutan, Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

Related links

BIMSTEC Event Page

Development of Bhutan-Siliguri-Bangladesh corridor will boost trade among India, Bangladesh, Bhutan