Dhaka: India has said the beginning of immigration facilities at the Phulbari-Banglabandha check post will facilitate the movement of people on both sides, in particular for the people of bordering districts of both Bangladesh and India.

‘Opening of the Phulbari Banglabandha immigration check post will lead to greater movement of people and goods and will contribute to the development of North Bengal and Northern Bangladesh,’ said Minister of State for External Affairs of India General (retd) VK Singh.

This not only has the potential to increase bilateral trade and commerce but also cement close ties between the people of Northern Bangladesh and Northern West Bengal, the Indian minister added.

He made the remarks while inaugurating the immigration check post on Thursday. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Minister-in-charge, North Bengal Development Department, West Bengal Goutam Deb and Minister-in-charge, Municipal Affairs and Urban Development, West Bengal Firhad Hakim were also present.

VK Singh said the opening of this facility is also expected to promote tourism between the two countries.

He said the numbers of tourists from Bangladesh that visit India are now the second largest. About 1.12 million Bangladeshi tourists visited India in 2015.

A large number of visitors from Bangladesh also go to India for medical treatment, especially to West Bengal.

Visitors also travel for other purposes like education, business, conferences, Similarly, there is a growing interest among Indians to visit Bangladesh for business and tourism purposes.

The Indian Minister said that the North East region of India is an unexplored treasure of great natural beauty and business opportunities.

‘I urge the people of Bangladesh to explore the hidden beauty of these seven sisters. The proximity of this region to Bangladesh makes it also an ideal location to invest taking advantage of its natural resources.’

He said the Phulbari-Banglabandha Immigration Check Post is a gateway to the North East of India and also a gateway to Nepal and Bhutan.

The Minister said India-Bangladesh relations today are multifaceted and expanding to newer areas. ‘Our relationship is growing and this intensity is reflected in frequent exchanges between our leadership as well as at different levels.’

VK Singh said India and Bangladesh are connected by an emotional bond of language and culture, which goes beyond any formal relationship between governments. ‘Our people are one, and together we can face the big challenges of this century.’

Earlier, Bangladesh and India jointly inaugurated the Phulbari-Banglabandha immigration check post.

India shares a land border of approximately 4,100 kms with Bangladesh. The Phulbari immigration check post will connect people from Rangpur and Dinajpur districts of Bangladesh, and Jalpaiguri, Cooch Bihar, Darjeeling, Dinajpur districts of Northern West Bengal; and Sikkim and Assam.

This will be the 28^th Land Port through which there will be movement of people between India and Bangladesh.

The check post is part of several measures being taken by the governments of India and Bangladesh to increase people-to-people contact and facilitate movement of goods between the two counties and the sub-region.

The inauguration of the Immigration Check Post at Phulbari fulfills a long-pending demand of the people of this region.