Dhaka, Bangladesh (CU)_ The Maitri Setu bridge between India and Bangladesh, a bridge constructed along the Feni river, was inaugurated on Tuesday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the occasion, Bangladesh’s PM Sheik Hasina stated that the political boundaries should not become an obstacle for trade. The inauguration was held virtually and PM Modi also laid the foundation stones for a number of infrastructure projects in Tripura.
PM Modi during his video conference address said that Tripura is now undergoing a change that arrived with the double engine government in the state from the time of the previous government of 30 years. The PM said, “The country is also seeing that wherever a double-engine government is not there, you can look at your neighborhood, policies empowering the poor, farmers and daughters were either not implemented or were moving forward at a very slow pace”.
He added that in Tripura, the double engine government had strengthened its people. He said Tripura had for many years been driven back by a strike culture and now allows ease of doing business. The Maitri Setu was constructed over the River Feni, which flows from Tripura to Bangladesh between the Indian boundary. The bridge is 1.9 km long and connects India’s Sabroom and Bangladesh’s Ramgarh.
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina lauded the opening of the Maitri Setu and called it a historical moment in a video message played during the occasion. She said “We are creating a new era in South Asia through providing connectivity to India. We are in a region which has remained conservative in opening up and where regional trade is far below potential. I believe political boundaries should not become physical barriers for trade”.
