Rampal Power Plant: It’s an example of Dhaka-Delhi partnership

Pranay Verma

Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma yesterday said the Rampal power plant is a concrete manifestation of the deep-rooted friendship and cooperation between India and Bangladesh.

"Energy cooperation is an important component of the India-Bangladesh development partnership and the power plant is a concrete manifestation of the deep-rooted friendship and cooperation between India and Bangladesh," he added.

The envoy yesterday visited the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat's Rampal, being built with funding from the Indian government's concessional financing scheme with an outlay of around $2 billion.

The majority of the amount is being provided by India's EXIM Bank.

The plant uses ultra-supercritical technology and is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

Phase-I of the 1,320MW power plant was inaugurated by the prime ministers of India and Bangladesh in September 2022 and has already started supplying electricity to the national grid.

Phase-II of the project is expected to be completed shortly, officials said.

During his two-day visit (Friday-Saturday) to the Khulna division, Pranay visited some of the important connectivity projects which are being developed under the Bangladesh-India development partnership.

On Friday, the Indian high commissioner visited the Rupsha rail bridge which is expected to boost trade and connectivity for not only Bangladesh but also for the entire sub-region.

The bridge is being built under the Indian concessional line of credit (LC) extended to Bangladesh.

Built over the Rupsha river, the bridge's construction was a challenging engineering feat as it required the use of specialised technology for piling work, said the envoy in Dhaka on Friday night.

The bridge also has additional features for ensuring navigation safety and the navigational clearance is more than 18 metres from the standard high-water level.

India, Bangladesh's largest development partner in South Asia, has already committed to LCs worth nearly $8 billion to Bangladesh.

"The bridge is a visible example of the India-Bangladesh development partnership," said the envoy.

The Rupsha railway bridge and the Khulna-Mongla port rail line will greatly facilitate the transportation of goods. Enhanced connectivity and accessibility to Mongla Port will improve market access for local businesses. It is also expected to positively impact tourism in the southwestern part of Bangladesh.