Tamabil (Dawki): The International Border Hub


The border town of Dawki (Tamabil) in Jaintia hills in Meghalaya is a strategic land border hub with Bangladesh. It is approximately 82 kms from the capital Shillong.

The border haat at Lyngkhat bordering Muktapur in Bangladesh which is approximately 18 kms from Dawki plays an important trade point for both trades from India and Bangladesh.
The export basket so far from the Tamabil land border station has been coal ( till the time coal mining has stopped) boulders and limestone, both from the Khasi and Jaintia hills. The products imported  from Bangladesh are agrobased products, garments etc. mostly through the border haat.

It is noteworthy that Tamabil is the busiest Indo – Bangladesh border trade route after Benapur in West Bengal. The Remington steel bridge over river Umngot is the lifeline between the Khasi and Jaintia hills. I was invited by a few exporters from the area and guided well by Mr. Chanmiki Lamin,  a young and upcoming entrepreneur and owner of the Lamin guest house.

Issues I feel that need to be addressed to upgrade the border and utilise the resources to the fullest are:

a. The border roads needs to be developed more keeping in mind the bolder carrying    trucks plying everyday both from Khasi and Jaintia hills.

 b. The bridge over river Umngot serves as a lifeline between both Khasi and Jaintia hills. So there is an urgent need to have an alternative concrete bridge to cater to both  the commercial vehicles and daily commuters including tourists, both Indian and Bangladeshis  who visit the Umngot river known for its pristine water for boating and recreational sports.

c. The custom clearance system at the land customs office at the Tamabil border needs to be upgraded further for faster mobility of the commercial trucks. I was informed that commercial trucks from both Khasi and Jaintia hills divide border crossing time to avoid congestion.

d. The Immigration system too needs to be upgraded for day trip tourists from Bangladesh, especially during their national holidays and weekends.

e. Last but not the least a Meghalaya Tourist information office to promote tourism along with good eateries along the border check point is the need of the hour.  

   Addressing these issues will lead to promotion of trade and tourism along with foreign direct investment.

S. M. Farid
The writer is a trade and investment consultant (ASEAN). He can be reached at shahfarid90@gmail.com

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