Over the last 50 years, Bangladesh has been implementing quite a few mega projects. The funding for these projects is largely through tie-ups with different foreign countries, including India, Japan, Korea, China, Italy, Germany and a host of others. Internal savings ratio is relatively low, at 23-24 per cent. The mega projects are spread across diverse sectors, such as communications, power, railways and roads. India, sharing the largest land border of more than 4,000 km with Bangladesh, is involved in quite a few such projects. As the two countries share nearly 52 rivers, it makes sense for India to play a hand in developing ports, bridges and railway lines, which can also be used for transporting goods to and from the north-eastern states. The Maitri Sethu (bridge of friendship), one such bridge, is built over the Feni river, which originates in Tripura and flows across Bangladesh. The bridge stretches across the two countries – from Sabroom in Tripura to Ramgarh in Bangladesh. Rodic Consultants, a pan-India service provider, was involved in the project, while the actual construction was done by National Highways & Infrastructure Development, at a cost of Rs118 crore. This bridge was inaugurated on 9 March 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It allows Tripura to access Chittagong port, which is about 80 km from Sabroom. An integrated checkpoint, facilitating easy movement of goods and people across the border, has also been put in place. While SAARC has not proved effective in fostering relations between India and its neighbours, other initiatives have helped – in particular, BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India & Nepal) and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal initiatives for connectivity, infra and transit facility). Look East and Neighbour First have also helped in deepening relations. Bangladesh had initiated a Transport Policy 2004, which spelt out plans for the expansion of railways, along with the development of international rail networks. This policy envisaged the implementation of 44 projects, supported by various international bodies across countries. Bridge over Meghna India has also been participating in the building of the Bhairab (double-gauged) bridge over the Meghna river, which originates in the Manipur hills of north-east India (where it is known as Barak river). It is one of the three most important rivers in Bangladesh and a part of the delta. At over 964 km, it is considered a holy river and, at many places, is nearly 490-metres deep. A double-line rail bridge over the river linking Dhaka to Chittagong, beginning from Tripura, was constructed by a JV formed by IRCON and AFCON International, a Shapoorji Pallonji unit. Texmaco Rail and Engineering got the order for the supply of the bridge’s infrastructure. This bridge, with a revised cost of Rs265 crore, was completed in 2017. It was one of the projects built from the $1 billion line of credit extended by India to Bangladesh. India has extended the line of credit to $4.5 billion, the largest to any state. Besides helping to ease the movement of goods from Bangladesh to other countries in its vicinity, this bridge will shorten the distance from Kolkata to Tripura.