Bangladesh, India launch exchange of bandwidth, more electricity
Dhaka: Bangladesh today launched export of bandwidth while India began export of 100MW electricity visibly setting a milestone in expanding bilateral ties with premiers of the two countries, Sheikh Hasina and her counterpart Narendra Modi joining a video conferencing from their respective capitals to mark the event, reports BSS.
India started supplying of the 100MW power from its northeastern Tripura state to bordering Comilla of Bangladesh while Bangladesh launched supply of 10GBPS bandwidth from its Cox’s Bazar to Tripura’s capital Agartala.
Tripura’s Chief Minister Manik Sarkar also joined the videoconferencing from Agartala as Bangladesh and Indian Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi took part in the conference from their offices in Dhaka and New Delhi.
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali and Tripura’s chief minister also spoke at the conference which was immediately followed by another related video conferencing when Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Railways Minister Muzibul Haque joined the Bangladesh premier from Comilla.
The supply of 100power from Tripura began in line with a decision of the 7th Joint Steering Commitee/Joint Working Group meeting on Power in Dhaka in April 20 in response to Dhaka’s goodwill gesture allowing transport of over-dimensional cargo during the construction of the Palatana power plant in India’s isolated northeastern state in 2011.
Discussions on the pricing were finalized at the joint technical committee meeting held during the visit of the Power Minister of Tripura to Dhaka on 9 January, 2015.
India’s state-run PGCIL erected 400 KV d/c line from Agartala’s Suryamaninagar to the Indian border while Powergrid Corporation of Bangladesh Ltd built the transmission line from the border point to Comilla.
Officials said, on the other hand, the bandwidth connection came as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Limited (BSCCL) signed an agreement for leasing of international bandwidth for internet at Akhaura during Modi’s 2015 Dhaka visit.
BSCCL has laid the optical fibre cable for the 30km distance from Brahmanbaria to Akhaura, which adjoins Agartala, while BSNL has set up international long distance (ILD) gateway at Agartala along with associated equipment.
India is already supplying 500 MW of power to Bangladesh through the Bahrampur-Bheramara inter-connection and supply of another 500 MW through the same interconnection was also announced during the the Indian premiers 2015 visit.
In addition, NTPC of India and BPDB of Bangladesh has entered into a Joint venture (BIFPCL) for commissioning of the 1320 MW Rampal power project for which BHEL of India has been recently identified as EPC contractor.
Foreign relations analysts said power connectivity added another successful chapter to the existing bilateral cooperation in the power sector by addressing power shortages in the southeastern part of Bangladesh.
The internet bandwidth export will enable reliable and fast internet connectivity for the people of Tripura as well as the northeastern region of India.
PM’s Political Affairs Advisor HT Imam, Economic Affairs Advisor Dr Mashiur Rahman and Energy Advisor Dr Tawfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Internaitonal affairs adviser Professor Dr Gawher Rizvi, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Post and Telecommunications Tarana Halim, State Minister for ICT Division Junaid Ahmed Palak, and Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla and other senior officials of the concerned ministries were also present at Ganobhaban on the occasion.