Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah has on Friday commenced a three-day official visit to Tripura. The visit comes at a time of renewed emphasis on regional connectivity and trade, with both nations striving to deepen economic integration and infrastructure synergy in the Northeast.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Hamidullah is scheduled to remain in the state till August 4. On arrival at Agartala’s Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, the envoy paid floral tributes at Albert Ekka Park before proceeding to the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in the capital city.
During his stay, Hamidullah will hold high-level discussions with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha. The meeting is expected to centre around expanding trade linkages, enhancing infrastructure at border points, and accelerating progress on long-pending bilateral connectivity projects.
Later on Friday, he visited key trade infrastructure including the Agartala Integrated Check Post and the Akhaura Land Port, both of which are vital to India-Bangladesh border trade. Speaking on the importance of these hubs, Hamidullah had earlier remarked, “Trade routes and border infrastructure aren’t just about economics; they are also about building trust and long-term cooperation.”
On August 2, the High Commissioner will cross into Bangladesh to review facilities at Ashuganj and the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Brahmanbaria. A visit to the Nischintapur Railway Station is also scheduled, which lies on the Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link, a strategic cross-border rail corridor nearing completion.
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The Agartala-Akhaura Rail Link, once operational, will reduce travel time between Kolkata and Agartala significantly and is viewed as a flagship project under the India-Bangladesh transport cooperation framework. Initiated in 2016 with Indian funding, the 12.24-km rail line includes a 5.46-km stretch in India and a 6.78-km stretch in Bangladesh.
Tripura shares an 856-km border with Bangladesh, one of the longest among Indian states, making it a critical node in cross-border exchanges.
On August 3, Hamidullah will meet Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu before heading to Sabroom in South Tripura district. There, he will visit the Sabroom ICP and Maitri Setu, a 1.9-km bridge over the Feni river that links Sabroom with Ramgarh in Bangladesh’s Chittagong division. The bridge, inaugurated in 2021 by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina, is intended to open a direct gateway for Tripura to the Chittagong Port.
The High Commissioner’s engagements come at a time when India and Bangladesh are navigating a new phase in their bilateral ties, especially in the Northeast. In a previous remark, Hamidullah had said, “Bangladesh’s relationship with the Northeast is not transactional, but transformational. We share geography, history, and a future.”
The visit will conclude on August 4, when the envoy departs for New Delhi.
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