and why the talks matter
The Business Association of Nagas (BAN) is placing an international trade expo as its immediate priority, following a renewed push for economic cooperation during its high-level meeting with the Bangladesh High Commissioner and his delegation in Dimapur on December 8. According to BAN Assistant Director Lumvila T Sangtam, both sides have identified clear areas of commercial interest that could reshape Nagaland’s trade footprint in the neighborhood.
Sangtam said Bangladesh has expressed interest in Naga coffee, pineapple, kiwi, and other organic products, while Nagaland is keen on exploring Bangladesh’s strengths in textiles, machinery, and fish. “This is a bilateral trade interest that can benefit both Nagaland and Bangladesh,” she said.
BAN executive member Akum Jamir traced the engagement back to the 2023 G20 Summit in Kohima, where BAN first came into contact with the Bangladesh High Commission. “They were actually keen to meet us, which led to our second meeting in Dimapur. In 2023, we visited Bangladesh’s industrial sector after being invited,” he told MT.
During that visit, 23 MoUs were signed, but the implementation was halted due to Bangladesh’s election and the resulting policy changes. “The situation in Bangladesh was in turmoil, but now with normalcy returning, fortunately, the new government has shown interest in engaging with us again,” Jamir said.
“Our main focus was on the trading sector. Before talking about import and export from other European countries, we wanted to focus on our immediate neighbors like Bangladesh and Myanmar,” Jamir said.
He noted that BAN also raised public health concerns regarding chemically adulterated fish in local markets. “Bangladesh is famous for good fish. That’s why we are focusing on the fish sector,” he said.
Bangladesh’s lack of stone resources has opened another trade window for Nagaland. “We have plenty of stones in places like Tuli and Dimapur.
“Once these reach the railway, they can be easily transported to Bangladesh,” Jamir noted.
BAN is also exploring joint ventures in garment manufacturing. “Bangladesh is very good in apparel and garments manufacturing. They are also interested in setting up apparel factories here in Nagaland. So we are inviting the Bangladesh company to set up and skill us up,” he said.
On the paper sector, Jamir said BAN sees an opportunity in supplying bamboo pulp to Bangladesh, which currently imports it from Europe. “Instead of sending bamboo chips and raw materials, we are looking out at the feasibility of setting up bamboo pulp manufacturing in Nagaland. But uninterrupted electricity remains a key concern for any factory,” he cautioned.
He stressed that all discussions remain preliminary, as engagements with the new government must start afresh. “Otherwise, with the old government we could have seen some business taking place,” he added.
On skill development, Jamir said BAN has been training local youths but many remain unskilled in handling industrial machinery. “We are trying, but we are yet to get skilled when it comes to industrial machinery. That’s why we are inviting them to skill us up,” he said.
Nagaland Coffee has drawn strong attention from Bangladesh as coffee consumption grows there. “With Nagaland Coffee declared the best in the world in 2025, the interest has amplified,” Jamir said. He added that spices including black pepper, turmeric and cardamom have also attracted interest.
To facilitate trade, BAN has proposed a triport in Dimapur – a multimodal logistics hub connecting road, rail, and access to the Bangladesh seaport – to cut export costs by 40% and reduce transit time to two days. “For Nagaland to export fresh products efficiently, a triport in Dimapur is essential,” Jamir said, noting that the proposal was presented during Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s recent visit.
On the cultural front, Jamir highlighted opportunities for exchange between the hilly regions of Nagaland and the plains of Bangladesh. He also noted that Bangladesh has proposed a cruise line, which could bring additional business opportunities and European clients to the region.
With BAN expressing its intention to contribute to the country’s GDP, Jamir hopes the Centre will support their regional trade initiatives. BAN also hopes to strengthen trade relations with ASEAN countries in the years ahead. With several ideas back on the table from coffee and stone exports to garment sector collaboration and skill development BAN and the Bangladesh High Commission have agreed to continue the dialogue at the earliest.