PM Modi, Bangladesh PM Hasina launch rail, power projects via video link 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday jointly inaugurated multiple projects through video conferencing.

PM Modi and PM Hasina launched rail and power projects between the two countries.

The three projects were jointly inaugurated by PM Modi, his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina and chief ministers of West Bengal and Tripura, Mamata Banerjee and Biplab Deb respectively.

The event was also attended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Bangladeshi counterpart.

The projects include 500 MW additional power supply from India to Bangladesh through the existing Bheramara (Bangladesh)-Baharampur (India) interconnection.

The other two projects include Akhaura-Agartala rail link and the rehabilitation of the Kulaura-Shahbazpur section of Bangladesh Railways.

PM Modi hailed India-Bangladesh ties and noted that neighbouring countries should have a relationship like neighbours, talking and visiting frequently, without getting bogged down by the protocol.

The Prime Minister also recalled PM Hasina's vision of restoring connectivity between the countries the way it was before 1965 and said that the two nations are steadily progressing toward the same goal.

"Today, we have increased our power connectivity, and started two projects to increase our railway connectivity," PM Modi pointed out.

It was during his visit to Bangladesh in 2015 that India had decided to supply an additional 500 MW power to Bangladesh. He expressed happiness over the launch of the projects.

PM Modi said with the completion of this project, 1.16 gigawatts of power is now being supplied from India to Bangladesh while the Akhaura-Agartala rail link will provide another cross-border connectivity system between the two countries.

(With inputs from PTI)