PM Modi inaugurates 'Maitri Setu' between India and Bangladesh

Connectivity is not only strengthening the friendship between India and Bangladesh but also proving to be a strong link for business too, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the "Maitri Setu" between India and Bangladesh, a bridge built over the Feni river, with Bangladeshi premier Sheikh Hasina asserting that political boundaries should not become physical barriers for trade.

Modi also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of multiple infrastructure projects in Tripura during the online event.

Speaking on the occasion via video-conference, he said Tripura is experiencing the change that has come with the government of "double engine" in the state from the time of the previous government of 30 years.

"The country is also seeing that wherever a double-engine government is not there, you can look at your neighbourhood, policies empowering the poor, farmers and daughters were either not implemented or were moving forward at a very slow pace," the prime minister said.

The double-engine government in Tripura has empowered the people of the state, he added.

The Prime Minister said that the connectivity is not only strengthening the friendship between India and Bangladesh but also proving to be a strong link of business too. He informed that the entire region is being developed as a trade corridor between Northeast India and Bangladesh. Modi emphasised that the rail and water connectivity projects that have been realized in the recent years have been strengthened by this bridge. This will improve connectivity of south Assam, Mizoram and Manipur along with Tripura with Bangladesh and South-East Asia. Modi said that the bridge will give an impetus to the economic opportunity in Bangladesh also.

Tripura, which was pushed back by a "strike culture" for many years, is now working for ease of doing business, Modi said.

In a video message played at the event, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina hailed the inauguration of the "Maitri Setu" as a "historic moment".

"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," she said.

The "Maitri Setu" has been built over the Feni river, which flows between the Indian boundary in Tripura and Bangladesh.

The 1.9-km-long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh.