Modi, Hasina Launch Energy, Infra Projects

India and Bangladesh on Wednesday inaugurated three major connectivity and energy projects built with Indian assistance, including a railway line that will connect the northeastern states to the neighbouring country for the first time.

- Rezaul H Laskar

The projects — the Akhaura-Agartala cross-border rail link, the Khulna-Mongla port rail line, and unit II of the Maitree super thermal power plant — were jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina at a virtual ceremony.

The development comes at a time when Hasina is facing increasing pressure from opposition parties in Bangladesh and some western nations to ensure free and fair elections early next year. Under the Modi government, India has emerged as Bangladesh’s largest development partner, with a portfolio of almost $10 billion in the form of grants and concessional loans.

Addressing the ceremony, Modi emphasised the focus placed by the two countries on developing infrastructure and connectivity to meet the aspirations of their people, and said that over the past nine years, both sides had launched three new bus services and as many rail services. They had also opened four new immigration check posts and launched container and parcel trains in 2022, he said.

“Our collaboration in the power sector and connectivity stands out as a shining example of our win-win cooperation,” Hasina said, speaking in Bengali. She also highlighted her government’s vision of creating an advanced, prosperous and smart Bangladesh by 2041.

“India will continue providing complete cooperation to advance your smart Bangladesh,” Modi said, noting that 12 IT parks are being built in the country with Indian aid while the two sides had also agreed to link their payment gateways.