'All for Bangladesh investors'

Tripura Chief Minister has assured all cooperation to Bangladesh investors willing to set up manufacturing units here, an Indian envoy based in Dhaka said Wednesday.

“Tripura is power surplus and gas surplus and so we have been approached by many Bangladesh businessmen particularly in the garment sector who wish to set up manufacturing units in the state,” said India's Deputy High Commissioner in Dhaka, Sandeep Chakrabarty after meeting Tripura CM Manik Sarkar.

"I found the Chief Minister very forthcoming. He said that if there are people who want to set up garment industry we will give them plots in the industrial growth centre."

Chakrabarty added, “That was a very interesting development and we will follow up it in Dhaka. We shall try to bring some Bangladesh businesspeople here for investment.”

He, however, felt that there was still a problem in transferring funds from Bangladesh to India.

But Chakrabarty said top bank officials in Dhaka had assured him that this hurdle would be overcome.

“There is a problem because Bangladesh has not yet liberalised capital outflows but we have assurances from the Governor of Bank of Bangladesh that on case to case basis they will certainly allow investment."

"I think so far we did not have many cases. The policy in Bangladesh will also change when they understand the importance of trade and business between the two countries,” Chakrabarty said.

He informed that various bilateral issues including trade, connectivity, power and border was discussed between him and Sarkar.

“We reviewed relations and the aspect of the relations those involves Tripura. The Chief Minister has a very fine understanding about Bangladesh and the India-Bangladesh issues."

"We also tried to review progress of various things specifically we discussed the border river Feni, power from Palatana to Bangladesh and land acquisition and other issues,” said Chakrabarty.

He said that the present government under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is keen to improve relation with India in all possible ways and especially on connectivity which shall benefit both the nations.

“The emphasis of the current government in Bangladesh is improving connectivity and both Bangladesh and India will benefit if we restore our old links," the Indian diplomat said.

Chakrabarty will visit Sabroom in southern Tripura to see the progress of the proposed bridge over river Feni for accessing the Chittagong international port from India's north-eastern states. The sea port is just 75 km from Tripura.

He will also visit Akhaura, just two km away from Agartala city, to look at the 15-km-long proposed Agartala-Akhaura rail link, work on which is scheduled to start early next year.

Tripura will be the second power surplus state in India within the next three-four months after Sikkim, once full generation starts from Palatana and Monarchak gas-based power plants.

The state has committed to sell 100 MW power from the Palatana power project to Bangladesh and progress is going on.