In what can be termed as a conscious effort to woo investment in Tripura, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Wednesday invited top garment industry figures of Bangladesh to invest in the state to avail special subsidies being offered by the Indian government in the Special Economic Zone.
Deb said, "If you export products, you are charged with customs duties and other subsidiary taxes. If the same product is manufactured here, you will get a special subsidy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's industry-friendly schemes."
"We are setting up a logistics hub here in Sabroom, only 72 kilometres away from Chittagong. Come and invest here. India is a big market. Since Bangladesh is now world-famous for its garments industry, it should also make efforts to get hold of the whole North-Eastern market," he added.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the inaugural function of the Bangladesh Film Festival at a private hotel in Agartala.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have given a new height to the Indo-Bangla bilateral ties. Problems that were dragged on and on had been resolved owing to the concerted efforts of both the Prime Ministers," Deb said.
Speaking about Tripura, Deb said, Tripura is gradually taking shape as the corridor of North East India.
"From Sabroom, Chittagong port is just 72 kilometres away. From Guwahati, the distance is 642 kilometres. Before NE states got access to the Chittagong port, the nearest seaport was over 1,200 and 1,600 kilometres away from Guwahati and Tripura respectively. These new opportunities will not only benefit Tripura but shall also give a boost to the economy of Bangladesh," observed Deb.
Deb also pointed out that infrastructure projects worth Rs 15,000 crore in the railway and highway sectors are going to be approved soon, while another Rs 20,000 crore projects are in the implementing stage.
"Bangladesh is an exporter of cement and steel that are some of the basic raw materials needed for infrastructure development and certainly the country can make good profit from the ongoing projects," he said.
Deb also talked about the disturbing elements trying to disrupt the bilateral ties of India and Bangladesh, and said, "There are some vested interest quarters that are trying to create mistrust but PM Modi is with the Bangladesh PM and 130 crore people of this country are standing solid with Sheikh Hasina."
( With inputs from ANI )
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