The Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh jointly launched the three projects namely; the Akhaura-Agartala rail link; Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line and the Unit II of Maitree Super Thermal Power Project.
These projects are funded by the Government of India.
Akhaura-Agartala rail link
- Of the 12.24 km Agartala-Akhaura railway line, Tripura has got 5.46 km on the Indian side and 6.78 km lies in Akhaura upazila of Bangladesh’s Bahmanbaria district.
- It will re-establish the rail connectivity between Bangladesh and Northeast India through Tripura.
- It is the first rail link between Bangladesh and the northeastern States. Through this link, States of northeast India can also be connected to the ports of Bangladesh.
- Tripura shares an 856 km-long international border with Bangladesh – the second longest border between these two countries of any Indian state after West Bengal.
- In this rail route, Gangasagar is Bangladesh’s last railway station before India on this route – and Nischintapur is the last Indian railway station before the border.
Khulna-Mongla rail link
- It will cover 65 km of broad-gauge rail route between Mongla, the second largest port of Bangladesh, and the existing rail network within Khulna.
- With this, Mongla, the second largest port of Bangladesh, gets connected with the broad-gauge railway network.
- The Khulna-Mongla Port Rail Line Project has been implemented under Government of India concessional Line of Credit.
Maitree Super Thermal Power Project
- The Maitree Super Thermal Power Project under Indian Concessional Financing Scheme loan of USD 1.6 billion, is a 1320 MW (2×660) Super Thermal Power Plant (MSTPP) located in Rampal in Khulna Division of Bangladesh.
- The project has been implemented by the Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company (Private) Limited (BIFPCL), which is a 50:50 Joint Venture company between India’s NTPC Ltd and Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB).
- Power Plant was unveiled jointly by both Prime Ministers in September 2022 and Unit 2 will be inaugurated on 1 November 2023.
- The operationalization of Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant will enhance energy security in Bangladesh.
