Tripura CM appeals Bangladesh to invest in the state

Highlighting Tripura's 25 years roadmap, chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Wednesday urged Bangladesh's business community to invest in the state.

"We have already prepared Tripura's roadmap for the next 25 years. The roadmap has been prepared till 2047 and I appeal to you to take your decision of investment after viewing our Lakshya 2047," said Deb at the inauguration of second Bangladesh Film Festival in Agartala.

Of 857 kilometres long international border between India and Bangladesh, 67 kilometres are yet to be fenced.

India exports different goods and materials worth ₹100 crores annually to Bangladesh through Tripura's border check posts and Integrated check post and imports materials worth ₹600 crores.

While launching a floating jetty at Sonamura for Indo-Bangla inland waterway connectivity earlier in 2020, Deb said that the state would be able to export goods worth ₹1,200 crore and import goods worth ₹4,200 in the next five years.

He said that the Centre approved funds for the construction of 36 kilometres road via Bangladesh's Ramgarh to connect Chittagong port with Maitri bridge. With the completion of the road, the distance will be only 72 kilometres instead of 1,600 kilometres from West Bengal's Haldia Port to Agartala via Assam.

"Both Northeast and Bangladesh will earn financial profits with the Chittagong port. Our Agartala-Akhaura railway project, ICP, Maitri bridge, border haat make relations between the two countries strong," said Deb.

Praising Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her initiatives for developments, Deb said, " Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken the country to a respectable position. She has introduced a new direction through developments in socio-culture, infrastructure, finance, GDP etc."

He also added that Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has taken the country to a new height.

Tripura's information and cultural affairs minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that the state is going to have its first film institute in collaboration with Kolkata's Satyajit Ray Film Institute at the earliest. He also stressed on organising such film festivals in subdivision and district levels to make the young generations aware of the cordial relations between India and Bangladesh.