NEW DELHI, March 24 - Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar jointly inaugurated the India-Bangladesh power grid transmission line through a video-conference here on Wednesday.
This is the second cross border transmission interconnection system between India and Bangladesh. It will link Surjyamaninagar in Tripura with South Comilla in Bangladesh.
The two premiers also dedicated the transmission of 10 GBPS internet connectivity between Cox�s Bazar in Bangladesh and Agartala.
India will give 100 megawatts power to Bangladesh from the gas-based power plant at Palatana in Tripura and will get 10 GBPS internet bandwidth from Bangladesh.
Inaugurating the project, Modi described it as a historic occasion and said it has opened India�s digital gateway to the East. He said India and Bangladesh have thus set an example for relations between neighbours. �India and Bangladesh now share ties not just on land and water, but on digital world also. This now needs to be expanded in the sphere of space cooperation,� he added.
The Prime Minister said it will be beneficial for the youths of the Northeast, particularly those from Assam, Tripura and Sikkim. Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar lauded efforts by both the countries. He praised Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for taking forward the Bangabandhu�s vision and thoughts.
The Prime Minister said he attaches tremendous importance to the opening up of the new internet gateway which would greatly benefit the northeastern states by giving a boost to communication in the region. He highlighted the multiple channels of increased connectivity between the two countries in recent times, including road connectivity and digital connectivity.
The Prime Minister also offered all support to Bangladesh for the launch of the Bangabandhu satellite.
Meanwhile, the coastal shipping operations under the Coastal Shipping Agreement, signed during the Prime Minister�s visit to Bangladesh, has also been launched. The Bangladeshi vessel MV Harbour-1 was formally permitted to sail from Chittagong to Krishnapatnam by the Directors General (Shipping) of both the countries.
It was formally launched by Bangladesh Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan on March 15, and the ship commenced its voyage on March 22 from Chittagong port and reach Krishnapatnam port on March 27.
The significance of the Coastal Shipping Agreement is that it enables small river and sea vessel operators to commence direct operations between Indian and Bangladeshi ports. This will greatly reduce cargo transit time between the two countries as the bigger vessels do not find it commercially viable to ply between India and Bangladesh. �Our cargo goes via Singapore which obviously adds to both cost and time,� said Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup.
