“There’s a positive momentum in cooperation between our two countries in the power sector and the achievements so far have been highly encouraging,” he told an International Conference on the “India’s Energy Security: Inter-regional Cooperation to Energy Security Society.’
The conference was held at the Centre for South Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, said the High Commission. It was presided over by Prof Bhardwaj, Chairman, Centre for South Asian Studies.
Syed Muazzem said the engagement in the power sector has expanded under the farsighted leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“It’s a matter of great pleasure that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have taken the partnership between the two countries far beyond a strategic partnership, touching upon virtually all areas of human endeavor,” he said.
“We’re happy that Bangladesh and India are experiencing very substantive cooperation in the energy sector,” the envoy said adding that currently Bangladesh’s import from Indian stands at 1160 MW.
India and Bangladesh, he said, are now cooperating on renewable energy and nuclear power.
Bangladesh entered the era of Nuclear Power on November 30, 2017 with the inauguration of the construction of the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna, which would be built with Russian and Indian collaboration.
The development of the power plant is India’s first-ever nuclear venture in the neighborhood, where it will be providing technical assistance to Bangladesh.
Syed Muazzem said Dhaka and New Delhi are also moving to the sub-regional cooperation. A trilateral investment of 1125 MW hydro-power project in Bhutan, by Bangladesh, India and Bhutan is also under discussion.
Another trilateral hydro-power project in Nepal by Bangladesh, India and Nepal is also under consideration and an MoU with GMR, India and Bangladesh was signed in April 2017 for import of 500 MW power from Nepal to Bangladesh.