Bangladesh will push for creation of a regional electricity grid and an early breakthrough on the Teesta water sharing deal when Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury meets India's new PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday afternoon.
Published : 27 May 2014, 09:51 AM
She will also discuss the issue of regional connectivity, which India is keen on.
“We want to further improve our good relationship with India and to deepen our co-operation on the economic front,” Chaudhury told bdnews24.com, after attending Narendra Modi’s swearing in ceremony on Monday.
She will meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee after a 25-minute discussion with PM Narendra Modi and External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj.
Though the meeting is said to be a 'courtesy call' and ‘get-to-know’ affair, Bangladesh High Commissioner Tariq Karim indicated Chaudhury would focus on improving regional connectivity, including participating in a regional power grid, besides working on better sharing of waters in common rivers.
"We will impress on India's new government how crucial this is for a lower riparian country like Bangladesh," Karim said.
Bangladesh is also keen on carrying forward the BCIM and BIMSTEC processes forward and this will be communicated to the Indian leadership, said another Bangladesh diplomat, but he was not willing to be named.
On its part, India has pushed hard to make Dhaka the headquarters of the BIMSTEC and carried forward the BCIM process with China that envisages creation of an economic corridor from Kolkata to Kunming in China's Yunnan province through Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The road and rail links from mainland India to south-east Asia and China through Bangladesh will boost regional connectivity, trade and investment flows.
India and Bangladesh are working out an electricity transmission line between Tripura and Bangladesh through which India will supply 100 megawatt (MW) from ONGC Tripura Power Company plant.
This follows the creation of a 400kV transmission line from West Bengal, which sells up to 500MW to Bangladesh.
Once India and Bangladesh’s grids are connected, the neighbours can freely trade in power and Bangladesh can use India’s grid links with Bhutan and Nepal to buy cheaper power.
Power companies have been asking for an electricity trading arrangement for the region, which can supplement long-term deals to buy and evacuate power from one country to another.
Officials said the construction of the Chittagong-Akhaura railway line had improved Bangladesh’s connectivity with the Northeast. It has also improved India’s link with the Northeast through the Chittagong port.
Now if India plays ball by conceding favourable water sharing deals to Bangladesh on common rivers, it can access its remote Northeast through Bangladesh.
"This is a win-win for both countries," says Jayanta Ray, former chief of Kolkata-based Maulana Azad Institute of Asian Studies.