After Partition, NE region became land-locked: Assam ministerAssams Industry and Commerce and Act East Policy Affairs Minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary, said on Tuesday that after Independence and the simultaneous Partition of the country, the trade routes and transportation linkages through the neighbouring countries were suddenly snapped, rendering the northeastern region land-locked. Addressing a conclave on ‘India’s Act East Connect: Prospects and Challenges’, the minister said that before Independence, the northeastern region used to have multi-modal transportation networks through roadways, railways and waterways (riverine) through the territories, which are now Bangladesh and Myanmar, to several ports like Chittagong (Bangladesh), Sittwe and Yangoon or then Rangoon (Myanmar).