Talks on India-Bangladesh Economic Partnership Agreement to begin soon: Modi

New Delhi, September 6 (IANS). India and Bangladesh are to soon begin discussions on a bilateral economic partnership agreement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday after talks with his visiting Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina, even as the two countries signed seven agreements on sharing the waters of the Kushiyara common border river, training railway personnel and judicial officers, and cooperation in broadcasting, among others.

The economies of both could also be strengthened by expanding their connectivity infrastructure, Modi said at a joint press conference after the bilateral discussions, adding that India is the biggest development and trade partner of Bangladesh in the region.

India was also a significant market for Bangladesh’s exports, he said, pointing out that the two countries needed to further strengthen their economies in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the prevailing geo-political situation.

The following is the list of agreements/MoUs exchanged:

• MoU between India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Waterways on withdrawal of water from the Kushiyara river.
• MoU between India’s Railway Board and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Railways on training Bangladesh Railway personnel in India.
• MoU between India’s Railway Board and Bangladesh’s Ministry of Railways on collaboration in IT systems such as FOIS and other IT applications.
• MoU between India’s National Judicial Academy and the Bangladesh Supreme Court on training programme for Bangladesh Judicial Officers in India.
• MoU on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), India and Bangladesh Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (BCSIR).
• MoU on cooperation in the areas of space technology
• MoU between India’s Prasar Bharti and Bangladesh Television (BTV) on cooperation in broadcasting.

Five projects between the two countries were also unveiled/announced:

• Unveiling of Maitree power plant: The 1320 (660×2) MW super critical coal-fired thermal power plant at Rampal, Khulna is being set up at an estimated cost of approximately $2 billion with $1.6 billion as Indian Development Assistance under Concessional Financing Scheme.
• Inauguration of Rupsha bridge: The 5.13 km Rupsha rail bridge is a key part of the 64.7 km Khulna-Mongla Port single track broad gauge rail project, connecting for the first time Mongla Port with Khulna by rail, and thereafter to central and north Bangladesh and also to the India border at Petrapole and Gede in West Bengal.
• Supply of road construction equipment and machinery: The project consists of supply of road maintenance and construction equipment and machinery in 25 packages to Bangladesh Road and Highways Department.
• Khulna Darshana railway line link project: The project involves doubling of broad gauge infrastructure linking the current cross border rail link at Gede-Darshana to Khulna to augment the rail connections between the two countries, especially to Dhaka and in future to Mongla Port. The project cost is estimated at $312.48 million.
• Parbatipur-Kaunia railway line: The conversion of the existing metre gauge line to dual gauge line is estimated at $120.41 million. The project will connect to the existing cross-border rail at Birol (Bangladesh)-Radhikapur (West Bengal) and will enhance bilateral rail connectivity.