India’s cooperation to build Sheikh Hasina’s Smart Bangladesh will continue: Modi inaugurates 3 projects

India’s cooperation to build Sheikh Hasina’s Smart Bangladesh will continue: Modi inaugurates 3 projects

Published: November 1, 2023 1:52 PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi jointly inaugurated three projects. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Narendra Modi from New Delhi inaugurated project three through video conference from Bela Gana Bhavan on Wednesday (November 1).

The three projects are Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link, Khulna-Mongla port rail line and second unit of Maitri Super Thermal Power Plant.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the three projects that we are going to inaugurate will play a role in regional communication and energy security. He also said, I am hopeful that there will be more joint ventures in the future. It has been proven that maintaining good relations with neighboring countries improves the country. It will be an example to the world.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also joined virtually from New Delhi. He said, we are proud, Bangladesh is our biggest development partner. India’s cooperation in building Sheikh Hasina’s Smart Bangladesh will continue. Modi also expressed optimism that Bangladesh will be Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s golden Bangladesh.

Basically, the Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link project has been implemented under the grant assistance of Tk 392.52 crore from the Government of India. Bangladesh and India are hopeful that trade between the two countries will expand through this.

The Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line project has been implemented at a cost of US$ 388.92 million under the concessional line of credit of the Government of India. Through this, Bangladesh’s second largest port Mongla has been connected to the broad gauge rail network.

On the other hand, the Maitri Super Thermal Power Project has been implemented under Indian loan assistance of US$ 1.6 billion. Through this project, a 1 thousand 320 MW (2×660) Super Thermal Power Plant (MSTPP) project located at Rampal in Khulna Division of Bangladesh was implemented.