PM Modi, Sheikh Hasina to jointly inaugurate India-aided projects in Bangladesh today, check details

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina will jointly inaugurate three major development projects built in Bangladesh with assistance from India on Wednesday, November 1.

The inaugural ceremony will be taking place via video conferencing, as per an official release by the Ministry of External Affairs.

These three projects include the Akhaura-Agartala Cross Border Rail Link, Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line, and Unit–II of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant. These projects are aimed at strengthening connectivity and providing energy security in the region.

The Akhaura-Agartala Cross Border Rail Link project has been carried out under the Government of India grant of Rs 392.52 crore given to Bangladesh. As per the reports, the length of the Akhaura-Agartala Cross Border rail link is 12.24 km long with a 6.78 km Dual Gauge rail line in Bangladesh and 5.46 km in Tripura, India.

Similarly, the Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line Project has also been implemented under the Government of India as a concessional Line of Credit with a total project cost of $ 388.92 million. This project requires the construction of approximately 65 km of broad-gauge rail route between the Mongla Port and the existing rail network in the Khulna region of Bangladesh. Meanwhile, with the execution of this project, Mongla which is the second largest port in Bangladesh will be well connected with the broad-gauge railway network.

Additionally, Unit-II of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Project is a 1320 MW (2×660) Super Thermal Power Plant (MSTPP) located in Rampal in the Khulna Division of Bangladesh. It has been executed under the Indian Concessional Financing Scheme loan of $ 1.6 billion. The Maitree Super Thermal Power Project has been implemented by the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Private) Limited (BIFPCL), which is a 50:50 Joint Venture company between India’s NTPC Ltd and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).

Earlier in September 2022, Unit I of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant was inaugurated jointly by Prime Ministers of both countries. With the inauguration of Unit- II, the operationalisation of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant will enhance energy security in Bangladesh.