Power line to link 4 countries

Bangladesh and India have primarily agreed to construct a cross-border power transmission line which would benefit four neighbouring countries -- Nepal, Bhutan, India and Bangladesh.

The proposed transmission line through Dinajpur of Bangladesh will be used by India to supply electricity between Bihar and Assam. It will also be connected to transmission lines from Nepal and Bhutan, said Power Division officials after a joint steering committee meeting between the two countries in Khulna yesterday.

"The high voltage transmission line will also be used by Bangladesh to import electricity from Nepal and Bhutan," said an official, who attended the meeting, wishing anonymity.

He said Indian previously proposed using Bangladesh only as a corridor to connect two of its states.

"A decision on importing hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan through India had been pending for a long time. Today [yesterday], we have agreed that we will build the transmission line and use it for cross-border power trade between the neighboring countries," the official added.

The 765KV transmission line will be connected to Bihar's Katihar and Assam's Boranagar through Dinajpur's Parbatipur.

Also, a trilateral agreement between India, Bangladesh and Nepal will be signed soon to import 500MW from Nepal.

"The date will be fixed in an inter-ministerial meeting," the official said.

Indian firm GMR Karnali Hydropower Company Limited is implementing a 900MW power project in Nepal.

A press release issued by the power, energy and mineral resources ministry after the meeting said that the meeting discussed power trade between the countries and the possibility to set up solar power plants in India by the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Ltd, which is implementing the Rampal Power Plant project in Bagerhat.

The committee will hold its next meeting in November.