The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh is unlikely to respond positively to an offer for the import of electricity from the northeastern Indian State of Tripura, because of unfavorable terms.

India recently offered to sell electricity to Bangladesh from a 4,000MW power plant being built in Tripura.

About the Indian offer, Power and Energy Advisor Tapan Chowdhury, speaking in the concluding session of the sixteenth Indo-Bangladesh Dialogue in the city, said the electricity tariffs of the proposed plant is about 7 rupees (about Tk 11) per unit which is very high from Bangladesh perspective.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) organized the dialogue at Brac Inn with its Chairman Prof Rehman Sobhan in the chair.

Tapan Chowdhury said that because of the high tariff rate, it would not be viable for Bangladesh to import electricity from that project.

Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakrabarti, however, said the tariff offer is negotiable and Bangladesh can negotiate the power price.

Identifying the mistrust as the main obstacle to the promotion of relations between the two neighbouring countries, the Power and Energy Advisor said the private sector has to come forward to remove the roadblocks.

"We need to involve the private sector of the two countries in any initiative… Nothing can move forward without support of the private sector," he told the function.

Responding to a query from the audience, Tapan Chowdhury said a SAARC Food Security Bank was established about 20 years back, but it was just in paper, not in function.

Prof Rehman Sobhan in his remarks pointed out that a 4,000MW power-plant project is being implemented under the joint venture of private and public sectors.

As Bangladesh is facing severe power shortages, it can import electricity from the project.

Indian Member of Parliament (MP) from Orissa MAK Swain, who belongs to BJP, said there is mistrust because Bangladesh people feel India is doing something secretly which will be disastrous for Bangladesh.

He cited Farakka barrage project, a bone on contention between the two next-door neighbours.

On the other hand, the Indian people felt that Bangladesh is not giving proper honour to the sacrifice made by the Indian soldiers during the liberation war.

"But, now, India started realising that without prosperous neighbour, its dream to become a superpower by 2025 will not be achieved… that's why we're supporting neighbour's development."

Former Jatiya Party lawmaker GM Quader said Dhaka-Kolkata train operation is now facing problem on the question of security.

"But what should get priority-is it security or the benefit of the people of two countries?… if it is the benefit of the people, the governments of both the countries should resolve the issue as soon as possible," he said.

The function was also addressed, among others, by MA Muhit, former Indian High Commissioners Muchkund Dubey and Deb Mukharji and CPD executive director Prof Mustafizur Rahman.