Even though five years have already elapsed, the Indian government is yet to start the construction work of a small bridge over the Feni River at their own cost.
Official sources said the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has taken a move to construct the 150-metre bridge after getting assurance from India in 2011. It would establish connectivity between the landlocked Indian state of Tripura and Chittagong port.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had laid the foundation of the bridge during the Indian PM's visit to Bangladesh in June last year declaring plans to construct the double-lane bridge in two and a half years.
"Feni bridge is so small that it could have been built easily by the government. But there is no progress in this regard," said an official.
He said though the Tripura government at the end of last year declared its plans to construct the bridge, there is no progress from its side.
Sources said the issue of constructing the Feni bridge is likely to be raised during the upcoming commerce secretary-level meeting between Bangladesh and India as connectivity is a part of the trade agreement signed between the two countries.
Bangladesh and India have earlier agreed to allow Tripura state to use Chittagong port through Sabroom which is around 72 kilometres (kms) off the port.
It is learnt that the Indian side wants to use the bridge to transport its heavy machines and goods through the Chittagong port to their north-eastern states.
Though the bridge is planned to be constructed into four-lane, the road on both sides of the bridge remain narrow making transport of heavy goods difficult. Officials said the development project report on the Feni bridge is now under revision as RHD revised the height of the four-lane bridge at the request of the Indian side.
The project was undertaken on request from the Indian side, but there is no significant progress in constructing the small bridge in last five years.
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