India’s landlocked Northeast is poised to gain a vital link to the Bay of Bengal with the anticipated opening of the Bangladesh-India friendship bridge, known as Maitri Setu, by September.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina virtually inaugurated the bridge in March 2021. Recently, Modi and Hasina briefly interacted at the Rashtrapati Bhawan following Modi’s swearing-in ceremony for his third term. Hasina is expected to return for an official visit later in June or July.

The Maitri Setu bridge connects Bangladesh with Tripura, providing the northeastern states access to ports in the Bay of Bengal. Spanning 1.9 kilometers over the Feni river, the bridge links Ramgarh in Bangladesh with Sabroom in India. Constructed by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd, the project cost Rs. 133 crore.

The bridge’s strategic importance lies in its proximity to Bangladesh’s Chittagong port, just 80 kilometers from Sabroom. According to Tripura industries and commerce department secretary Kiran Gitte, passenger movement through the bridge will begin in September, with cargo movement to follow a few months later.

In addition to the bridge, India will assist in the transit of electricity from Bhutan to Bangladesh. During a meeting in New Delhi, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina reiterated her country’s eagerness to import hydroelectricity from Bhutan through India. She emphasized the need for a tripartite agreement involving India to facilitate this energy import.