Tripura exports first consignment of 'locally-made' brooms to Bangladesh

Tripura has exported its first consignment of locally made brooms to Bangladesh through Agartala-Akhaura International Check Post (ICP), near here, an official said Friday.

The neighboring country recently relaxed port restrictions on the import of nine new items from Tripura, including processed broomsticks made of Arjun flowers (Thysanolaena maxima).

"The first consignment of broomsticks, weighing 13.5 MT, was exported to Bangladesh on Thursday. It was shipped from Pabiacherra in North Tripura district to Chittagong Trade Link, a Bangladesh-based trading concern," Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) officer and Agartala-Akhaura ICP manager Debashish Nandi told PTI.

The shipment, worth USD 6,000, was flagged off by Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh Md. Shakhawat Hussain and Tripura Chamber of Commerce (TCCI) president ML Debnath, the ICP manager said.

Earlier this week, Director of Industries and Commerce Sandeep Rathore issued a statement to notify the introduction of nine new items to the list of exports to Bangladesh.

The new commodities include rubber latex, bamboo-based products, broomstick flowers, soybean seeds, spare parts of CNG-run vehicles, dry fish and maize among other items. The state had been exporting 21 commodities to the neighboring country before restrictions were lifted on these nine new items.

Welcoming the Bangladesh government's decision, Deputy Director of Industries and Commerce Swapan Mitra, who is also in charge of the foreign trade division, said the move would boost the economy of the state. Debnath, on the other hand, expressed concern over the high customs duty imposed on the commodities.

"We are happy that new items are being dispatched to Bangladesh, but the high rate of customs duty imposed on the goods remains a matter of concern," the TCCI president said.

The levy will automatically increase product prices in the market, thus reducing their demand among people, he said.

"No customs duty is levied on products imported from Bangladesh, but for commodities exported to the neighboring country, Tripura will have to bear 35-45 percent customs duty. Trade balance needs to be established along the Tripura-Bangladesh border," he added.