India assures Bangladesh of providing energy support, says Nasrul

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said Indian power and petroleum ministers assured of providing support to Bangladesh’s energy and power sector.

"We have conducted two separate meetings successfully, as the two ministers assured of extending their cooperation to Bangladesh's power and energy sector," he told journalists on Wednesday after the meetings at the Bangladesh High Commission conference room in New Delhi.

Nasrul Hamid met Petroleum and Natural Gas and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Power and Minister of Power Raj Kumar Singh respectively, reports UNB.

He said that discussions were held about the plan of the Numerigar oil pipeline inauguration by this year with the presence of two prime ministers.

The state minister informed journalists that Bangladesh wants to import fuel from India in large volume, adding, "Meanwhile, we are importing oil from India in a small scale. LNG pipeline installation process is underway from India to Khulna, which will be installed by H Energy".

"We are going to open the fuel market in our country and want to engage the private sector to import and sell oil at the retail level. In this regard, India is implementing the open market fuel process for a long and we want to know their experiences and they (Indian Ministers) are assured of sharing their knowledge with us," he said.

The Indian ministers also assured of extending their cooperation to Bangladesh's energy and power sector so that Bangladesh can maintain a stable position in the energy sector, Nasrul Hamid said.

"We are importing 1,160 MW power through Tripura and Bheramara substations. And we will get more 1,450 MW from private power company Adani power plant sooner," he added.

The state minister said that talks were held about renewable energy especially solar power import, adding, "The Indian side will cooperate with us to import Hydropower from Bhutan and Nepal. Discussions were held about trilateral agreements to invest in Nepal to expand their renewable sector."

Today's discussion will also include the joint steering committee meeting, which will be held next month, he said.

Nasrul Hamid is now in India on an official visit and holding different meetings with his counterparts.

Yesterday, the state minister visited the under-construction power plant in the Godda district of India's Jharkhand.

Among others, power secretary Md Habibur Rahman, Bangladesh Power Development Board chairman Md Mahbubur Rahman and Bangladesh High Commissioner in India Dr Mustafizur Rahman joined the meetings.