The India-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge, also known as Maitri Setu, is expected to open to the public within the next two months. This news comes after Aditya Mishra, the chairman of the Land Port Authority of India, visited Sabroom on Thursday and announced that the movement of people through Sabroom border will commence as soon as the Foreign Affairs Ministries of India and Bangladesh give the green signal.
On the same day, a five-member delegation headed by the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, Mustafizur Rahman, visited the Maitri Setu at Sabrum. The delegation included Minister of Bangladesh Foreign Office, Ariful Rahman, Minister of Bangladesh Commerce, AKM Atiqul Haque, and High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Agartala, Arif Mohammad. On the Indian side, apart from Mishra, Lt. Col. Geetsab – Director (Technical) LPAI along with other officers of India engaged in ICP activities and former local MLA Shankar Roy were present.
The delegation inspected the construction sites of the Maitri Bridge and the Integrated Check Post (ICP) and reviewed the progress of the works. Representatives from both countries then discussed the progress of the project works and agreed to submit recommendations to their respective foreign ministries for the daily travel of 200 to 300 people through passports within the next two months.
The High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, Mostafizur Rahman, appreciated the works of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) and expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Maitri Setu project.
Ex-MLA Shankar Roy expressed optimism that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha want the Maitri Bridge to be opened at the earliest to create a commercial atmosphere around it. He added that transactions through the ICP are expected to commence within the next two to three months.
The opening of the Maitri Setu is expected to have a significant impact on trade and commerce between India and Bangladesh, and the smooth flow of people and goods between the two countries is expected to improve further with the opening of the bridge.
