The economic prosperity of India and Bangladesh could be improved by developing border infrastructure and removing basic trade barriers, top politicians and experts said at a seminar in Agartala in September. Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who inaugurated the seminar, said the under-construction bridge over river Feni in southern Tripura would make easier the transportation of goods between the northeastern states and the rest of the world via the Chittagong sea port in Bangladesh.

The Haldia port near Kolkata is 1,220 km from Assam while the Chittagong international port is less than 70 km from Sabroom in Tripura, he said. The Chief Minister promised that the bridge would be operational by December next year and accessing Chittagong port would become much easier. The Agartala Press Club organised the seminar on “Strengthening Indo-Bangladesh relationship” and many experts and politicians from both the countries took part in the event. “For the development of Tripura and other northeastern states, many construction materials can be imported from Bangladesh or can be transported via that country. The Bangladesh government will also earn huge revenue from these transportation businesses,” the Chief Minister said.