Bhutan’s trade links with neighbours may snap

SILIGURI: The political scenario at Dooars in North Bengal may pose a major threat to Bhutan���s external trade with India and Bangladesh, the two most important trade partners of the Himalayan country.

Indo-Bhutan and Bhutan-Bangladesh trade are the indirect source of livelihood for thousands of people in Dooars, sandwitched between Bhutan in the north and Bangladesh in the south.

Volume of Indo-Bhutan trade annually is around Rs 5000 crore (including heavy import of electricity by India) with around Rs 250 crore trade balance in favour of India and that of Bhutan-Bangladesh trade is Rs 50 crore with around Rs 40 crore trade balance in favour of Bhutan.

"The environment is getting non-congenial. To access Bangladesh, we don���t have any route other than through Dooars," said S B Tshering, an exporter from Bhutan.

"We anticipate a major crisis in Indian trade as the markets in Dooars are getting uncertain," said R Goyal, a leading trader in Indo-Bhutan trade point Jaigaon in India.

Suppliers to Bhutan are also anticipating trouble as, "bypassing Dooars means availing of the air route to supply goods to Bhutan which is not possible," they said.

The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM), which has been spearheading the Gorkhaland movement, wants Dooars also to be included in their proposed new state. But the party did not get a toehold mainly due to opposition of over 35% tribal population there.

However, the victory of an independent candidate, supported by the GJM in Kalchini Assembly constituency, at the centre of Dooars, has come as a major morale booster for the GJM.