The Tripura government will ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi to persuade Bangladesh to provide access to its water and land routes to transport men and goods for India's northeastern states, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has said."Access to the Chittagong port and Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh are crucial for the northeastern states to ferry men and materials," Sarkar told reporters here Monday night.Modi will undertake a four-day visit starting Nov 29 to the northeast region. He will visit Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh."After talking to the Bangladesh government, India can invest in developing the infrastructure of the two ports," Sarkar said.
"India must persuade the Bangladesh government for making use of the Chittagong and Ashuganj ports to carry foodgrain, heavy machinery as well as other goods for the northeastern states."Chittagong and Ashuganj ports are around 70 and 40 km from Tripura respectively.Modi will meet Tripura's council of ministers Dec 1. "We will raise the demand then," Sarkar said.He said if Bangladesh allowed India to use its ports and land routes, it will help both the eastern and northeastern states of India.