Agartala: In a significant development for regional connectivity, Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma has reignited discussions surrounding Northeast India’s need for direct coastal access. His impassioned plea comes in strong support of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s recent observations regarding Bangladesh’s inherent geographical vulnerabilities, drawing parallels to India’s own strategic concerns with the Siliguri Corridor.
Debbarma’s assertive statement, “Northeast of India needs its own beach! After all you have yourself stated it’s just a few kms away. Why can’t we speak from a position of strength in the interest of our country and region,” underscores a burgeoning regional sentiment. This growing consensus highlights the Northeast’s long-standing reliance on constricted transit routes that traverse neighbouring nations, a dependency many now see as a strategic vulnerability.
Chief Minister Sarma had earlier meticulously detailed Bangladesh’s geographical pinch points. He had pointed out that Bangladesh, too, possesses its own “chicken necks,” asserting that both are considerably more vulnerable than India’s. Sarma specifically identified an 80-kilometre stretch in North Bangladesh, extending from Dakhin Dinajpur to South West Garo Hills, a corridor that, if disrupted, could completely sever the Rangpur division.
Further, Sarma drew attention to the 28-kilometre Chittagong Corridor, linking South Tripura to the Bay of Bengal. He described this as “smaller than India’s chicken neck” yet critically important as it serves as the sole conduit between Bangladesh’s economic and political capitals. Sarma’s observations, delivered via tweet, were pointedly aimed at those who frequently use India’s Siliguri Corridor as a geopolitical pressure point.
Debbarma, acknowledging his more forthright approach, stated, “I have been slightly more blunt but the truth is” that the Northeast is in dire need of enhanced connectivity options. The Tripura royal-turned-politician has been a consistent proponent of securing alternative access routes, a move that would significantly diminish the Northeast’s strategic dependence on the narrow Siliguri passage.
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