The northeastern Indian state of Assam will propose the central government to develop the Karimganj border with Bangladesh just like the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab’s Wagah, reports The Economic Times.

It's Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Saturday (Jul 27) that the move will attract tourism as well as promote nationalistic sentiment, according to the report.

Speaking at a discussion on faster socio-economic development of the Barak valley as part of the Speaker's Initiative programme at the Assam Legislative Assembly, he said that Karimganj has historical importance as many martyrs from there had sacrificed their lives for the country during the First War of Independence.

"We are going to send a proposal to the Centre to develop the Indo-Bangladesh border at Karimganj like Wagah border in memory of the sacrifices made by these martyrs," the report quoted Sonowal saying.

The Assam government is committed to equal development of Brahmaputra and Barak valley and several steps have been taken to boost brotherhood amongst the people living in the districts of both the valleys, said the chief minister.

Sonowal told the discussion that efforts are afoot to set up another airport at Barak Valley to boost the economic growth of the state.

Karimganj in the state of Assam in India and Zakiganj, in Sylhet Division of Bangladesh, both located on the banks on Kushiyara River, are the entry and exit points of trans-boundary cargo through Protocol Route 3 (Kolkata-Karimganj).

India and Bangladesh have initiated joint dredging from Ashuganj to Karimganj to improve the navigability of protocol routes.