How Bangladesh Can Be Benefitted from 'Maitri Shetu'

A bridge connecting the two countries on the Feni River on the border of Bangladesh and India was inaugurated on Tuesday.

The bridge was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a virtual ceremony on Tuesday, March 9, the third anniversary of the BJP government in the Indian state of Tripura.

In a speech recorded on the occasion, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the boundaries of politics cannot be an obstacle to trade.

One end of the bridge is at Ramgarh of Khagrachhari district of Bangladesh and the other end is at Sabroom town in South Tripura, India.

Officials from the two countries said the bridge would make it easier to bring goods from the country's northeastern states, including India's Tripura, using Bangladesh's Chittagong port.

But how much will be the benefit of Bangladesh - that question has been raised by many analysts.

This is the first time a river bridge has been used to connect Bangladesh and India.

The bridge is two kilometers long and connects the town of Sabroom in Tripura, India, on the river Feni from Ramgarh in Khagrachari, Bangladesh. It has been named Maitri Bridge.

The bridge was built with Indian funding.

The two countries have called for the construction of the bridge to increase direct connectivity with seven northeastern states of India, including Tripura and Mizoram.

The distance from this bridge over Feni river to Chittagong port is only 60 km.

Khandaker Golam Moazzem of CPD, a private research firm, said the bridge would bring more benefits to India. However, he noted that Bangladesh could benefit by levying tariffs on Chittagong port and road use.

"The level of convenience from the Indian side may seem high at the beginning. But it may be a matter of convenience for Bangladesh as the port of Chittagong will be used. Bangladesh will also be able to levy tariffs on usage, ”he commented.

Khandaker Golam Moazzem said, "This bridge will basically facilitate connectivity between the states on both sides of India. But in the long run, it can be positive for Bangladesh.

"Even though Bangladesh is connected to Tripura through this, the states including Meghalaya and Manipur have plans to connect with Myanmar, so Bangladesh also has an opportunity to connect with Myanmar by road," said Khandaker Golam Moazzem.

He added that using the bridge could increase pressure on the port of Chittagong to bring goods to and from the northeastern states of India. We have to pay attention to that as well.

Lailufar Yasmin, a professor in the Department of International Relations at Dhaka University, works on regional and international connectivity. He thinks that this bridge will also provide many benefits for trade and commerce in Bangladesh.

"We desperately need connectivity with India. Because we still don't see any stability in Myanmar. That's why there is a skepticism about the economic corridor with Myanmar."

Professor Yasmin said, "For Bangladesh, access to the northeast of India means we can create a bargaining power. We are already building a corridor with Nepal. In addition, there is a huge market for Bangladeshi products in the northeastern states of India."

"Although many will argue that it will be easier for India to bring goods through this bridge. But it will also make it easier for goods to go to my country. We have to take care of both aspects," said Professor Yasmin.

The foundation stone of the bridge was laid by the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in June 2015.

Now inaugurating the bridge in a virtual ceremony, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has described it as a new trade corridor between the two countries.

In a video message on the occasion, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the bridge would contribute to trade and economic development between the two countries.

"This bridge will not only create a bridge between our two countries but will also make a huge contribution to trade and economic development. Not only Chittagong Port, but also Chittagong International Airport will be accessible to the people of Tripura," said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Meanwhile, officials in Dhaka said the bridge was built through an agreement between the two countries. However, the amount of duty on Chittagong port and road use has not been decided yet.

Officials said that even if it is inaugurated now, it may take some more time for the bridge to be fully operational.

Source: BBC Bangla