By Firstdespatch Desk May 21, 2025
Agartala, May 21 (FD) The leader of the opposition and CPI-M politburo member, Jitendra Chowdhury hopes that the Maitree setu on the river Feni, inaugurated in March 2021, the Rs 133-crore project connecting South Tripura's Sabroom with Bangladesh's Ramgarh would be opened. The 1.9-km bridge is located 72 km from Chittagong port would be operationalised.
Chaudhury, 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.
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. FD JK