‘Maitree Setu’ in Sabroom to be inaugurated and operational in September , trade and commerce to commence from December

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, June 10, 2024

The much-awaited ‘Maitree Setu’ connecting the Sabroom subdivisioal town with Bangladesh’s Chittagong hill-tracts across the river Pheni is likely to be inaugurated in the month of September this year . However commercial trade between Tripura and Bangladesh across the ‘Setu’ is expected to start from the month of December. The work on construction of the Integrated Check Post on the Indian side is almost complete but there is no certainty over its inauguration.

The secretary for industry and commerce in the state administration Kiran Gittye made the announcement regarding the opening of ‘Maitree Setu’ in the course of his recent tour to Sabroom subdivision in informal chat with media persons. Gittey said that formal inauguration of the ‘Maitree’ which is already completed will herald in a new era of commercial transaction between India and Bangladesh. After the inauguration of the cross-border connectivity India will have access to the Chittagong port and incoming and traffic of goods will commence from then. In this context the people of Sabroom have been waiting eagerly for the formal commencement of the both way passenger and vehicular traffic between India and Bangladesh across the ‘Maitree Setu’. Official sources said that once the bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh commence in full swing, Sabroom will ultimately emerger as the gateway to southeast Asia, as envisaged by the government of India.

Sources however said that the infrastructure for smooth bilateral trade between the two countries can begin once the Bangladesh government complete the infrastructure building work on its side because on the Indian side the infrastructure is almost ready. The chief minister Dr Manik Saha is likely to visit Bangladesh before the formal inauguration of the commercial exchanges between the two countries to discuss matters of mutual interest between Tripura and Bangladesh. During his visit Dr Saha is keen to discuss matters with the Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina , subject to prior approval from the union ministry of external affairs. Even though solution to the issue is taking time, it will be fruitful once the preliminary process is completed, sources added.