The ongoing unrest in Bangladesh has delayed the execution of various projects involving the neighbouring country, Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said here on Sunday.

Laying the foundation stone of seven projects at Udaipur in Southern Tripura’s Gomati district, the Chief Minister said the ‘Maitri Setu’ built over the Feni River connecting India and Bangladesh by road was ready for operation but due to unrest in the neighbouring country cannot be utilised yet.

Besides the ‘Maitri Setu’, there are other projects which have also been delayed in view of the unrest in Bangladesh, he said, adding that the double-lane bridge would be the gateway for all the northeastern states to connect with various parts of the world using the Chittagong International Seaport. The seaport is 72 km from southern Tripura.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his former Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the ‘Maitri Setu’ on March 9, 2021

The 1.888 km long double-lane ‘Maitri Setu’, built at the Indian expenditure of Rs 129 crore, connects Sabroom in southern Tripura with Chittagong seaport in Bangladesh via Ramgarh.

CM Dr Saha said that to attract investment, the state government has allocated Rs 7,000 crore in the state budget for the development of infrastructure.

“With the World Bank assistance, the state government has been implementing Rs 1,400 crore multi-purpose projects for the all-round socio-economic development of the tribals in Tripura,” the Chief Minister said.

Tribals constitute one-third of Tripura’s around four million population.

Expressing his concern over the growing drug menace, CM Saha, who also holds the Home and Health portfolios, said the state government has decided to set up one drug addiction centre in each of the eight districts of the state.

The Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry has sanctioned Rs 200 crore for setting up de-addiction centres.