The government has been spending more than Tk 8,500 crore to implement various industrial development projects on both sides of Teesta river in a bid to ramp up economic activates in the region, according to Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi.

For example, the installation of gas pipelines in Rangpur will end soon, Munshi said during an event at the Economic Reporters' Forum in Dhaka yesterday.

Besides, the government has been developing some Special Economic Zones across Rangpur to facilitate economic development in the region, he added.

As such, river ports have been developed in Rangpur to carry goods from north-eastern Bangladesh to India.

Also, a bill has already been passed in parliament to set up a university in Kurigram district.

In addition, works are underway to develop Saidpur Airport as a regional airport as Bhutan and Nepal will be allowed to use it, the commerce minister said.

Some 15 to 16 flights have been operating each day from Saidpur Airport, indicating that the local economy is growing.

"Once the people of Rangpur were underestimated but now the situation has improved a lot," Munshi added.

At the event, Munshi handed over stipends to the children of deceased members of the Rangpur Divisional Journalists Association in Dhaka.