To offset China’s overtures, India activates mega projects ahead of Hasina visit

Barely a month before Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India, the Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi is reaching Dhaka to review existing engagements between the two countries. Bangladesh has, however, clarified that it is not seeking any fresh loans from China.

Meanwhile, South Block is working overtime to show ‘deliverable’ projects during Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi. Bangladesh is currently facing a severe power and diesel supply crisis. Hence, inauguration of the1320 MW Super Thermal Power station, named the ‘Maitree’ (friendship) power project, situated at Rampal in Khulna is intended as a signature friendship project. Set to be Bangladesh’s largest power plant, the coal-fired station is being set up by the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Limited, as a 50:50 joint venture between India’s NTPC and Bangladesh Power Development Board. The project is worth USD 1.5 billion.

Sheikh Hasina and Indian PM Narendra Modi are expected to jointly inaugurate, virtually through video, the 1320 MW Maitree STPS in Rampal when the Bangladesh PM visits India for a three-day visit in the first week of September. She will be visiting New Delhi from September 5 – 7. Diplomats of both countries are now working overtime to make the visit a success, with tangible outcomes. Official sources said other than the Rampal plant inauguration, a broad energy cooperation, water resource management and defence cooperation agreements are on the cards.

Simultaneously, there is a plan to begin diesel supplies from India through another ‘Maitree Pipeline’ connecting the two countries. PM Modi and Sheikh Hasina jointly launched construction of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Product Pipeline Project through video conferencing. It is first such pipeline through which refined diesel will be supplied to Bangladesh from India. The project involves construction of a 130-km long pipeline that will connect Siliguri in West Bengal and Parbatipur in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh. Of the total stretch, six-km will be on the Indian side and remaining 124 km will be in Bangladesh. The Indian leg of the pipeline project will be implemented by Assam-based Numaligarh Refinery Limited and Bangladeshi leg will be implemented by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.

The pipeline has capacity of 1 million metric tons per annum. It will supply refined diesel to Parbatipur depot from Numaligarh in Assam. From initial supplies of 2.5 lakh tons annually to Bangladesh, the pipeline will gradually raise annual supplies to 4 lakh tons. The project will replace the existing practice of sending diesel by rail over 510 km. The pipeline project is estimated to cost Rs. 346 crore and was expected to be completed in 30 months but, due to the Corona pandemic, major work was stalled. Work has now been expedited.

Before PM Hasina arrives in Delhi, trial runs between Kolkata-Chattogram-Mongla ports, to enhance India Bangladesh trade, will begin, starting a new chapter in bilateral ties. The first vessel from Kolkata is expected to reach Mongla, on Pashur River, on August 5, carrying 16 tons of iron pipes in a container destined for Meghalaya, using the Tamabil-Dwaki border points, and 8.5 tons of pre-foam in another container for Assam using the Birbirbazaar – Srimantapur border points. This route will create cheaper and alternative routes for India to reach its North-East region while, at the same time, carry export-import containers for Bangladesh.

Being a close ally of India, the Modi government has also allowed export of much-required wheat to Bangladesh through the Hili Land Port in Dinajpur. India supplies nearly 66% of wheat to Bangladesh while its imports from Ukraine, some 15% per annum, have been hit by the war with Russia.

A 1600 MW power plant is being commissioned by the Adani group in Godda in the Indian state Jharkhand, the power from which will be dedicated to the Bangladesh power board through a dedicated transmission line from Godda through West Bengal to Bagura district, a distance of 90 km from the Indian border. The Power ministry has directed the private company to start power generation as early as possible.

There is a last minute push from Bangladesh to inaugurate a ‘Swadhinata sarak’- (freedom road) from Mujibnagar to Nadia in West Bengal during the visit.

– INDIA NEWS STREAM