Table 9

Items                           Bangladesh   Tripura   Assam   Meghalay  Mizoram

Total land area 1               47570       10492     78438         22429         21087

(sq km)

Agricultural land             8.44             0.28        3.55           0.022           0.63

(million Hectors)                  

Total population             124               3.19         26.65         2.31          0.89

 (million)                                

Density of population     843               305            340            103             42

Per capita Agricultural    681             878             1332             97         7079

land (sq meter)

       As reflected in the above table, per capita Agricultural land of every North-Eastern state is higher than that of Bangladesh. On the area of agricultural trade, Bangladesh and north-east could harness the potentials the sector offers and create a symbiotic condition to meet the agriculture and trade related demands of both the sides (using north-east’s land for agriculture as per needs and demands of Bangladesh).

   Since many of the States in the north-east suffer from underdevelopment, they have huge demands for the outside products. Bangladesh can sell its products in the north-east which has a market for about Rs.25000 crore, nearly five times the trade deficit of Bangladesh. Bangladesh-north-east trade is mainly conducted through Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura with ranking Meghalaya number one in terms of trade volume (64% of total trade). The following tables feature trade routes and trade figure between Bangladesh and north-east of India:

 

Table 10 : Active Land Customs Stations

State                    Road                                                 Riverine

Assam             Sutarkandi (Sheola)                        Mankachar (Natun Bandar),

                             Guwahati Steamer-ghat,                 Karimganj Steamer and Ferry                                

                             Dhubri Steamer-ghat                      Ghat (Jakiganj)

                             (Rowmati)

Meghalaya         Dawki (Tamabil),

                             Bholaganj (Chatak),

                             Shella Bazar (Sunamganj),

                             Gasuapara (Karoitol),

                             Borsora, (Borsora),

                             Mehendraganj (Dhanua),

                             Dalu (Nakugaon),

                             Baghmara (Bijoypur)         

Tripura                Agartala (Akhaura),

                             Srimanthapur (Bibirbazar),

                             Manughat (Chatlapur),

                             Ragnabazar (Batuli),

                             Dhalaighat (Kumarghat),

                             Khowaighat (Balla),

                             Muhurighat (Belonia)      

Note: Names in italics refer to the interchange points in Bangladesh

 

                                                   

Table 11

LCS-wise NER-Bangladesh Trade (2 year average: 2006-08): Rs. Lakh

 

LCS                                Export            Import            Total Trade       %

Karimganj Stamer         396.50             36.00               432.50                 1.12

and Ferry Station

Sutarkandi                     3,785.00          2,232.00          6,017.00              15.56

Guwahati                       549.50             21.50               571.00                 1.48

Steamerghat

Mankachar                    19.50               9.50                 29.00                   0.07

Borsora                          10,253.00        0                      10,253.00            26.52

Bholaganj                      1,049.50          0                      1,049.50              2.71

Dawki                             5,425.50          0.75                 5,426.25              14.03

Shellabazar                    1,845.00          0                      1,845.00              4.77

Baghmara                      68.00               0                      68.00                   0.18

Dalu                                1,123.50         30.09               1,153.59              2.98

Ghasuapara                   4,048.00          0                      4,048.00              10.47

Mehendraganj              76.50               512.50             589.00                 1.52

Agartala                         57.00              6,644.50          6,701.50              17.33

Srimantapur                   75.00               384.00             459.00                 1.19

Dhalaighat                     0                      0                      0                          0

Khowaighat                  0.03                 1.50                 1.53                     0

Manu                             0.07                 3.05                 3.12                     0.01

Muhurighat                   0                      0                      0                          0

Old Ragnabazar           3.50                 16.50               20.00                   0.05

NER                           28,775.10      9,891.89        38,666.99

  ANALYSIS PART, ON THE BASIS OF BANGLADESH LABOR ACT, 2006, IN PRAN-RFL GROUP FIRST AID APPLIANCES From the law we have come to know that, during the working hours there must be first aid boxes or almirahs with prescribed contents. And we observed that, in every factory of PRAN-RFL group, there is a health care center. This health care center provides medical facilities for the workers. If the workers face any minor accident, this health care center provides first aid facilities. They have a contract with “IBNA SINA” where they provide higher medical facilities for the workers of the factory. According to law, these boxes and almirahs should be kept in charge of a responsible person who is trained enough. This group has four well trained medical assistant for each factory. They provide 24 hours medical facilities for the officers as well as the workers. There is a notice board in front of each health care center which shows the name of the supervisor’s who is in duty.  They have also one doctor for each factory. According to the law for three hundred and more workers there shall be provided and maintained an ambulance room. In PRAN-RFL group they don’t have this separate room or individual ambulance facility. But the supervisor and the duty doctor are responsible for this facility. 

MAINTENANCE AND SAFETY RECORD BOOK   According to law every organization consist of more than 25 workers must have to maintain a safety record book. PRAN-RFL group maintain the safety and record book where they write all the daily information’s. To maintain this book they have a maintainer who is responsible for this. This book also contain the entry and exist time of each and every employee with their signature, so that in any time they can figure out the total employees with their position. It is both helpful for the officers and the mid and lower level employees. For every machinery they keep log book. This book is also maintained by a diploma engineer of mechanical. This book is also contain the date of purchase and expected working life. It helps them in charging depreciation and gets the salvage value. WASHING FACILITIES According to law there must be some washing facilities include bathroom (separate for male and female) and keep the factory clean PRAN-RFL group provides washing facilities for the workers. They provide bathroom and washing facilities for separately male and female. But there is a problem in the out-side factory of Dhaka. Such as in Ragnpur, Natore they have toilets other than bathrooms. But there is a own provision that each and every worker is bound to wash their hands and leg in the washing room before entering the factory. CANTEENS Law says that if the quantity of employees exceed hundred than there should adequate canteen which is well furnished and with essential furniture. This canteen should be maintained by a managing committee. The managing committee should supply the hygienic foods. In PRAN-RFL group there are canteens in every factory. They don’t have any managing committee. They just give lease to the outside people but the lease is liable to follow the rules and regulation of the company. SHELTERS OR REST ROOM AND LUNCH ROOM There are lunch room for the workers where they can take their meal. There is a rule, those factories which have lunch room the workers are bound to take their lunch in the lunch room and no workers can eat any food in the working room. But in those factories, if there is not any lunch room, the canteen is used as a lunch room. There is no separate lunch room for the male and female workers. There is not any rest room for the workers; the workers use the canteen as a rest room.   ROOMS FOR CHILDREN  From the law we have come to know that, if there are 25 or more than 25 women workers than there should be maintained rules for children, where the children of under 6 years will be cared.

But in PRAN-RFL group has no such kind of rooms for children. The workers are not allowed to bring their children with them in the factory. So there is no question of have a room for children. But it is in their plan to establish rooms for children in the future. COMPULSORY GROUP INSURANCE According to rules if quantity of workers is more than 200 than it is compulsory to group insurance for the employees. And this rules maintained by PRAN-RFL group.

MATERNITY WELFARE FACILITIES 1. Prohibition of employment of women workers According to law, no women shall work during the eight weeks immediately following the day of her delivery, and no employer shall employ a woman for any difficult work for a long time before and after delivery. PRAN-RFL group gives at least 3 months maternity leave with pay. 2. Right to and liability for payment of maternity benefit Every woman employed in any establishment shall be entitled to and liable for the payment of maternity benefit, within the tentative date of her delivery and after delivery. PRAN-RFL group gives only the salary but there is no other additional benefit. 3. Payment of maternity benefit in case of the death of a woman No additional benefit is given to the woman other than their salary by the PRAN-RFL group. But they give the sum of total salary of three months by cheque. In case of death of a woman in the time of delivery, this cheque will be transferred to her husband or any other nominated person.