Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will jointly inaugurate the 1320 MegaWatt Maitree Super Thermal Power Station at Rampal, in the district of Bagerhat, within Khulna division, Bangladesh. The inauguration will happen when Hasina visits India for a three-day visit in the first week of September.
When completed, Maitree Super Thermal Power Station will be Bangladesh’s largest powerplant. Worth $1.5 Billion, the coal-fired station is being set up by Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Limited which is an equal joint venture between India’s NTPC and Bangladesh Power Development Board.
Bangladesh PM Hasina is expected to visit India any time between September 5 and 7. She is expected to stay for 2 or 3 days and the visit has been given utmost importance by the Indian government as Bangladesh is one of India’s closest allies.
According to Indian media outlet Hindustan Times, Before PM Hasina arrives in Delhi, trial runs between Kolkata-Chattogram-Mongla ports for India-Bangladesh trade will begin posting a new chapter in the 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 with destination Meghalaya using the Tamabil-Dwaki border points and 8.5 tons of pre-foam in another container for Assam using the Birbirbazaar-Srimantpur border points.
This route will provide India a cheaper alternative to reach its North-East region carrying export-import containers for Bangladesh at the same time.
As Bangladesh is a close India ally, the Indian government has also allowed export of much-required wheat through Hili Land Port in Dinajpur. This has eased Bangladesh’s inflation problems as wheat prices have gone down in the country due to India’s gesture.
India supplies nearly 66 per cent wheat to Bangladesh, while its imports from Ukraine, some 15 per cent every year, have been hit by due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Hindustan Times further reports that, while Bangladesh has prospered under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Islamic radicalization has grown in Bangladesh with Muslim Brotherhood affiliate Jamait-e-Islami playing a major role in border areas. Even though Jamaat cannot contest elections as per 2013 Supreme Court ruling, the group along with other radicalized outfits like Hefazat-e-Islam, Jamait-ul-Mujahideen and Islamic Chhatra Shibir are instrumental in orchestrating attacks against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh.
While Sheikh Hasina is managing Bangladesh’s economy well, it is the radical Islamists who could hurt her prospects in the election next year unless the law enforcement starts taking active action against them.
