Hope India-Bangladesh Maitri Setu would be operationalised: Tripura LoP

Agartala | Leader of Opposition in Tripura Assembly, Jitendra Chaudhury, expressed hope that the Maitri Setu on River Feni connecting India and Bangladesh would be operationalised.

Though inaugurated in March 2021, the Rs 133-crore project connecting South Tripura's Sabroom with Bangladesh's Ramgarh was yet to be operationalised. The 1.9-km bridge is located 72 km from Chittagong port.

Chaudhury, a CPI(M) politburo member, said that because of the current situation in Bangladesh, he did not see any possibility of dialogue between the two countries on the matter.

"The present situation in the neighbouring country might be detrimental to operationalising the bridge now but I am optimistic that it will be opened in future. But at present, I do not see any possibility of dialogue between the two countries on the matter," he told reporters at Sabroom on Tuesday.

The CPI(M) leader also alleged lackadaisical attitude on the part of the BJP's state leadership on the matter.

He claimed that the BJP's state leadership has failed to make the Centre realise the importance of the bridge, which would boost trade and regional connectivity between the two countries through the northeastern state.

"Heeding people's wishes, the previous Left Front government had started the process of building the bridge for the movement of people and goods. However, it is yet to be operationalised due to the lackadaisical attitude of the BJP's state leadership, which has also failed to make the Centre realise the importance of the bridge," he said.

Chaudhury, who represents the Sabroom assembly constituency, said he had visited Ramgarh when he was an MP and although former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was in favour of the bridge, BNP was against giving India access to Bangladesh through the bridge.

On curbs on the import of Bangladeshi goods, the CPI(M) leader said the Centre might have taken the decision due to "strong anti-India sentiments" in Bangladesh.

"After the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, there was tension along the eastern border as well. There is also an anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. I guess the restriction on imports from Bangladesh is a temporary measure," he said.

Besides the Maitri Setu, the Rs 230-crore integrated check-post at Sabroom is also yet to be operationalised following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh in August last year.