Bhutan today said it has not given clearance to its citizens to visit Assam since the crackdown on northeast militants seven years ago as it is still wary of the law-and-order situation in the northeastern state.
            "We have not yet given the nod to students and patients who earlier came to Guwahati in large numbers," Bhutan consul general Tsering Wangda said.
             Wangda, who is based in Kolkata and is in-charge of the northeast, however, expressed keenness to revive trade ties.
            "Things have changed for the better. Assam is our immediate neighbour and there is immense scope for opening trade ties by reviving the age-old relationship between the people of the two countries and jointly promote tourism," he told reporters here.
            Wangda said his efforts will be to convince chief minister Tarun Gogoi and other top officials to outline a policy in this regard.
            Currently apples, orange and ginger are exported by Bhutan to Dhaka through Dawki in Meghalaya, while garments, car batteries, cutlery and carpets were imported from Bangladesh through the same route, he said.
            Replying to a question, Wangda said there was a plan to set up rail heads in at least three places in Assam to connect Bhutan.
            The proposed rail heads will be Patsala (Assam)-Nangland (Bhutan), Chirang (Assam)-Gelepu (Bhutan) and Rangiya (Assam)-Samdrup Jhonkar (Bhutan), he said.