India and Bangladesh on Tuesday signed seven Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina to further strengthen relations between the two countries.
These agreements were signed after delegation-level talks were held at the Hyderabad House that featured talks on connectivity, energy, water resources, trade, border management, security and development partnership.
Later, PM Modi and Bangladeshi PM Hasina witnessed the exchange of seven MoUs in the key areas of water resources, capacity building, railway, science and technologies.
An MoU between the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India and Ministry of Water Resources, Government of Bangladesh on withdrawal of Water by India and Bangladesh from common border river Kushiyara.
MoU between the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), Government of India and the Ministry of Railways, Government of Bangladesh on the training of Bangladesh Railway personnel in India.
MoU between the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), Government of India and the Ministry of Railways, Government of Bangladesh on Collaboration in IT systems such as FOIS and other IT applications for Bangladesh Railway.
MoU between the National Judicial Academy, India and the Supreme court of Bangladesh on Training and Capacity Building 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), Bangladesh.
MoU on Cooperation in the Areas of Space Technology. MoU between the Prasar Bharti and Bangladesh Television (BTV) on Cooperation in Broadcasting.
The list of projects unveiled included Unit I of the Maitree power plant.
1320 (660×2) MW supercritical coal-fired thermal power plant at Rampal, Khulna is being set up at an estimated cost of approximately USD 2 billion with USD 1.6 billion as Indian Development Assistance under the Concessional Financing Scheme.
An important project that was inaugurated was the 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.
Another project was announced on the supply of road construction equipment and machinery. The project consists of the supply of road maintenance and construction equipment and machinery in 25 packages to the Bangladesh Road and Highways Department.
A Khulna-Darshana railway line link project was also unveiled during the delegation-level talks.
The project is the upgradation of existing (doubling of Broad Gauge) infrastructure linking the current cross-border rail link at Gede-Darshana to Khulna thereby augmenting the rail connections between the two countries, especially to Dhaka, but also in future to Mongla Port. The project cost is estimated at USD 312.48 million.
Parbatipur -Kaunia railway line was also inaugurated by the two heads of state of India and Bangladesh. The conversion of the existing Metre Gauge line to the Dual Gauge line project is estimated at USD 120.41 million. The project will connect the existing cross-border rail at Birol (Bangladesh)-Radhikapur (West Bengal) and will enhance bilateral rail connectivity.
