The coal-based power plant in Khulna in Bangladesh will be initiated by September in collaboration with the Indian public sector, NTPC.

India also invited Bangladesh to join the Tipaimukh project as a stakeholder.

The visiting Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Dipu Moni called on the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh here on Friday.

Dr Singh assured the visiting Foreign Minister of the flow of 500 MW power into Bangladesh with inter-grid connectivity. He also assured that the coal-based power plant in Bangladesh’s Khulna district will be initiated by September 2013 with the assistance of NTPC.

The India-Bangladesh bilateral trade has grown impressively. Exports by both sides have risen significantly. Exports from Bangladesh to India last year stood at $ 565 million, the highest ever to India.

According to sources there was a discussion on Indian assistance to Bangladesh. The $ 1 billion Line of Credit by India to Bangladesh has been flowing in a satisfactory manner including the $ 200 million grant of which $ 150 million has already been provided to Bangladesh.

The issue of the land boundary agreement was also raised and the Prime Minister Dr Singh conveyed India’s readiness to ratify it and said intend to take it up in the Parliament.

Dr Singh also said that on the issue of Teesta waters, the Government is seeking national consensus on the matter. He however noted that water continues flowing to Bangladesh and data sharing in this regard is also taking place regularly.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister, Dipu Moni, noted that there had been enormous progress in bilateral relations since the visit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina to India in January 2010 and the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh in September 2011.

She said that most of the decisions agreed upon during these visits have been either implemented already or under implementation. The various bilateral mechanisms are working well including the Joint Consultative Committee between the two Foreign Ministries.