Maitree Shetu to ease trade with India, Nepal, Bhutan: PM Hasina

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the Moitree Shetu would help Bangladesh ease trade with India, Nepal and Bhutan.

“We expect that the framework we are inaugurating today will also help Bangladesh trade more easily not only with India, but with Nepal and Bhutan as well,” she said.

The prime minister made the remarks in a video message to inaugurate virtually the Maitree Shetu over the Feni river jointly with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.

Narendra Modi attended virtually the inauguration ceremony held at Agartala, Tripura.

Describing the moment as a historic one, Sheikh Hasina said she thinks the Maitree Shetu will not only create connectivity between two countries, but also play a significant role in business-trade and economic development.

In this connection, 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 inter-regional trade is far below its potential”.

She added that she believes political boundaries should not become physical barriers to trade.

The prime minister simultaneously said that Bangladesh is attaching priority to maximise the use of its geographical location to make it a connectivity hub between South and South East Asia.

Sheikh Hasina said, “Bangladesh’s growth trajectory, along with its geographic location, makes it an extremely attractive neighbor in South Asia.”

The prime minister said that as one of the leaders in the global textile industry, they have carved a distinct path for themselves and the country has become a favoured destination for foreign investment.

She added that Bangladesh is ready to maximise its locational advantage as a connectivity hub between South and South East Asia.

“We believe the cross-border transport systems that Bangladesh is developing with India is an important step in this regard and will enable us to play an important role in regional trade and commerce,” she continued.

The prime minister also said that the Feni Maitree Shetu is expected to significantly improve the socio-economic condition of the people of Tripura and surrounding North Eastern states of India.

“We hope it will also contribute to improving the livelihoods of those residing on the Bangladesh side of the bridge,” she said.

She went on saying, “fifty years ago in 1971, India opened up its border for Bangladesh’s people to support their freedom struggle; today, we are building a prosperous region together. I wish successful operation and utilization of the Moitree Shetu.”

In the message, Sheikh Hasina also said it’s her immense pleasure to inaugurate the Maitree Shetu today, together with prime minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The event is taking place at a time when we are celebrating the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence and the 50th year of Bangladesh-India diplomatic relations, she said.

She continued that the opening of the Feni bridge is a testimony to the Bangladesh Government’s continued commitment to support our neighbor India, in strengthening connectivity in the region, particularly for the North-East of India.

The prime minister said that “in 2010, the then chief minister of Tripura placed a proposal before me to build a bridge over the river Feni.”

“We considered the request positively. Since then, the Government of Bangladesh has extended all necessary support to the Indian side for construction of the bridge,” she said.

Mentioning that 10 years later, today, the bridge is a reality, she said this bridge will be a trading lifeline for the North East of India.

She also said, “As you all know, Bangladesh has already allowed the use of Chattogram and Mongla ports for the movement of goods to and from India.”

Now, with the opening of Feni bridge, movement of goods between West Bengal and the landlocked Indian states in North East can take place through Bangladesh, she opined.

Earlier, the nearest seaport for Agartala was Kolkata which is over 1600 kilometres away, whereas today, Agartala’s nearest seaport is Chattogram and the distance through Bangladesh is less than 100 kilometres, the prime minister said.

Narendra Modi also laid foundation stones of multiple infrastructure projects virtually at Sabroom in Tripura.