India, Bangla begin energy coop, PM says 'historic moment'

India and Bangladesh today embarked on the path of cooperation in energy sector with the inauguration of two collaborative power projects, a step termed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a "historic moment" in the partnership between the two countries.
The projects -- a transmission line for supplying 500 MW power from West Bengal to Bangladesh and a 1320 MW thermal power project in Bangladesh -- were inaugurated by Singh and his counterpart Sheikh Hasina through video conferencing.
The 'Maitri' thermal power project is being developed by the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company, a joint venture between NTPC and Bangladesh Power Development Board.

Inaugurating the projects, Singh said it was a "historic moment when we embark on a new partnership for prosperity between our two countries."
Observing that the destinies of India and Bangladesh are "inter-linked", he said, "The initiatives being undertaken today strengthen the bonds of friendship between India and Bangladesh and add a rich new dimension to our bilateral relations."
He said the launch of the projects shows that "a shared aspiration of our people has been translated into a concrete outcome."
Singh said the step represents an important milestone in connecting the two countries and the broader region through a growing web of cross-border energy links and trade.

Noting that economic development is the biggest challenge for all countries in South Asia, Singh pitched for interlinking of the economies of the region.