Agartala, July 15: In a goodwill gesture, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Thursday sent 100 boxes of pineapples to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

To strengthen the ties between the two neighbouring countries such practice has been followed by both the countries.

Dipak Baidya, the assistant director of horticulture department, handed over the pineapple boxes, weighing 750 kg in all, to Bangladesh officials at Akhaura checkpost.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina had sent 600-kg mangoes for the Tripura chief minister

Everyone knows that India and Bangladesh share cordial ties.

“Tripura had played a key role in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. The CM, in a goodwill gesture, sent 100 boxes of freshly harvested pineapples to Bangladesh prime minister,” Dipak Badiya said.

The move was also aimed at promoting the state’s best horticultural crop in Bangladesh, he said.

Pineapples grown in Tripura are unique in taste and quality, and have been gaining popularity in international markets,” he maintained.

Dipak Baidya also said the fruit was last exported to Bangladesh in 2018.

“Due to various reasons, we could not export the juicy fruit to our neighbouring country after 2018. We continue to export pineapples to Middle East nations, however. Besides, metro cities in the country, too, source pineapples from the state,” he explained.

The National Horticulture Board (NHB) has already initiated a move to make Tripura’s Sepahijala district a major hub for the production of the queen variety of pineapple.

Similarly, Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga on July 14, sent a quintal of dragon fruit to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to express his gratitude for sending Amrapali mangoes to him earlier this month, as well as to promote Mizoram-grown dragon fruit.

Guwahati Mizoram House deputy resident commissioner handed the gifts over to Bangladesh assistant high commissioner, who will further ship the fruits to Dhaka.