PM Modi and Sheikh Hasina Launch a Large-scale Rail Project Connecting India and Bangladesh

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointly launched three development projects with Indian support through a virtual ceremony on Wednesday. These projects include the Akhaura-Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link, the Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line, and Unit-II of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Rampal, Bangladesh.

The partnership between India and Bangladesh in the rail and power sectors has reinforced their bilateral relations. The Akhaura-Agartala Cross-Border Rail Link, funded by a Government of India grant of ₹392.52 crore, spans 12.24 km, with 6.78 km in Bangladesh and 5.46 km in Tripura. Similarly, the Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line, implemented under a Government of India concessional Line of Credit, connects the Mongla Port to the Khulna rail network over a distance of approximately 65 km, contributing to the broader connectivity of Bangladesh's second-largest port.

The Maitree Super Thermal Power Project, backed by a 1.6 billion US dollar Indian Concessional Financing Scheme loan, operates as a 1320 MW facility in Rampal, Khulna Division. Managed by the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited, a 50:50 Joint Venture between India's NTPC Ltd and the Bangladesh Power Development Board, the project bolsters regional connectivity and energy security.

During the inauguration, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conveyed her advance Diwali greetings to Prime Minister Modi and the people of India, fostering cultural ties between the two nations. In addition, the recent inauguration of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline in March, and the 15th Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Trade in September, reflect the ongoing efforts to enhance economic collaboration and resolve bilateral trade issues between India and Bangladesh.