Kolkata: Indian Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that with a history of intertwined culture and language, India and Bangladesh share deep ties, reports Indian media.
The ties are such that no one can undermine the good bilateral relations between the two nations, he added on a visit to the India-Bangladesh border at Petrapole in West Bengal, India’s North 24 Parganas district.
He was there to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several projects of the Land Ports Authority of India and the Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday (9 May).
“India shares deep ties with Bangladesh. Our culture, religion, customs and lifestyle have been intertwined for thousands of years.
“No one can ever break our ties with Bangladesh. India has played a key role in Bangladesh’s history. The BSF has played a major role in the Liberation War of 1971,” he said at the programme.
During the event, he also laid the foundation stone for the second cargo gate at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) of Petrapole, India, – the largest land port in South Asia – to modernise infrastructure along the international border between Bangladesh and India.
“Maitridwar” — once operational — at ICP Petrapole about 80km from Kolkata will not only give a huge fillip to the bilateral trade with Bangladesh but will also enhance border connectivity.
Some 30% of land-based trade between Bangladesh and India takes place through the land border crossing of Benapole and Petrapole checkpoints.
The land port, since its inception in February 2016, has been witnessing an increasing number of passenger movements with an average of 22 lakh people crossing the border on either side each year.
Shah said that the construction of a second cargo gate will solve the issue of overcrowding at the ICP as over 600-700 trucks are coming to Petrapole, India, daily for trading purposes.
