'India-China-Bangladesh-Myanmar economic corridor planned'

An India-China-Bangladesh-Myanmar economic corridor has been planned to get significant gains through sub-regional economic cooperation, Bangladesh Prime Minister's energy affairs advisor Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said here Sunday.

"To attain significant gains through sub-regional economic cooperation, an India-China-Bangladesh-Myanmar economic corridor has been planned. This was also discussed in the Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit in Kathmandu last week," Chowdhury told reporters here.

He said: "Under the leadership of Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina, both India and Bangladesh would further come closer through mutual cooperation in connectivity, energy, trade and business sectors."

Chowdhury along with Bangladesh Minister of State for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid will attend the inauguration of second unit of the 726 MW power project in Palatana in southern Tripura Monday when Modi dedicates it to the nation.

The power generation from the first unit (363 MW) of the Rs.9,000-crore Palatana plant, commissioned by the state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, began December 2013 and the second unit (363 MW) is expected to start generation after its inauguration.

India has already announced it would supply 100 MW of power from the Palatana power plant to Bangladesh as a hallmark of cooperation with Bangladesh, which ensured the smooth passage of heavy project equipment and turbines to Palatana through its territory by road and waterways from Haldia port in West Bengal.

"Cooperation is a two-way traffic. If India and Bangladesh help each other and gradually widen their collaboration, the friendship and relations between the two neighbours would further become stronger," Chowdhury said.

To a question, he said: "Bangladesh government has taken stringent actions against the northeast Indian militant outfits. We would not allow our soil to do any harmful act against India."

Chowdhury was received by Tripura Power and Urban Development Minister Manik Dey at the Akhaura check post, near here, It is the second biggest trading post along 4,096-km long India-Bangladesh borders after Benapole-Petrapole border in West Bengal.