Tripura cabinet approves air link between Agartala and Chittagong in Bangladesh

The dream of the people of Tripura to fly international flights from their state is soon turning into a reality as on Tuesday, the Tripura cabinet under Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha gave a nod to the union government’s decision for running international flights from the MBB airport of Agartala to neighbouring Bangladesh, declared a Minister here.

Cabinet briefing Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said, “Our cabinet has approved to start international flights thrice a week between Agartala and Chittagong in neighbouring Bangladesh and as per the decision of the union Civil Aviation Ministry.”  

The Minister informed that the government of India had given the option of running flights to two destinations in Bangladesh - Dhaka or Chittagong and after a detailed examination regarding the advantages and disadvantages the state government has decided to go for the port city Chittagong as it will help the business community and as well as tourists.

“The airfare has been fixed at Rs 4500 and the state government has calculated an initial loss of Rs 15 crores annual which be compensated under viable gap funding and that shall continue for the first three years,” said Chowdhury also the Information and Cultural Affairs Minister of the state.

Only around a year back PM Narendra Modi dedicated the new terminal of MBB airport to the people of the state and assured that very soon international flights shall fly from this airport.

Meantime, Tripura’s Transport and Tourism Minister Pranajit Singha Roy thanked the Prime Minister and Chief Minister viewing that the cabinet's decision to fly international flights from MBB airport is surely going to boost the economy, and business, and create employment.

He added that with improving connectivity both nations shall be benefiting and very soon Tripura is going to start using the Chittagong sea port for procurement of raw materials for industrial besides transportation of finished goods and other products of the state through the said port is going to start as already the Maitri Setu over river Feni which is considered the natural border between Tripura and Bangladesh is ready and it shall help in settling up industries in the northeastern state and transforming it into India’s gateway to southeast Asian.

Singha Roy is also hopeful that the new international flight connectivity is going to boom the tourism sector in Tripura and coming days there are also plans to start flights with Thailand and other southeast Asian countries.

The Tripura cabinet also undertook various other decisions on multifarious issues including decentralization of the Rural Development department to expedite the implementation of various schemes in villages, starting 300 special coaching centers across the state for improving the base of tribal children in primary schools through supplemental classes beside doubling the financial support for street children from Rs 2000 to Rs 4000 with the target to provide basic facilities including shelter, food, and education to some 6000 children across the state by accommodating them in various government and NGO run shelter houses for them.