MP Biplab Deb has demanded immediate operation of Maitri Bridge.

Agartala: In the winter session of Parliament, former Tripura Chief Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb raised the demand for the immediate activation of the Indo-Bangladesh Maitri Bridge in Tripura’s southern district, which was built over Feni River.

Deb hoped that if the Maitri bridge is opened, the entire northeastern states including Tripura will benefit and economic activities between the two countries will increase.
MP Deb further said that on March 9, 2021, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the Maitri Bridge on Feni River connecting India and Bangladesh. But the land customs station of Bangladesh is still not operational. Due to which the fruits of this very important project are not getting.

The state government is said to have approached the Ministry of External Affairs in this regard, but Maitri Setu is yet to open.

“All necessary arrangements have already been made by India. But as the land customs station on the Bangladesh side is still incomplete, Maitri Setu cannot be opened”, Deb said.
In consultation with the Bangladesh government, Deb has requested the latter to remove bottlenecks so that passenger traffic can resume at least initially.

“Due to the non-functionality of the India-Bangladesh Maitri Bridge, despite being allowed to use Chittagong and Mongla ports, Tripura is unable to take advantage of this SOP,” he said.