Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday reiterated her country’s eagerness to import hydro electricity from Bhutan through India.
She expressed her interest when Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay paid a courtesy call on her at the latter's Place of Residence on Sunday.
“It is requires a tripartite agreement and we have already discussed the matter with India,” she told the Bhutanese Prime Minister.
Briefing reporters after the call on, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said, “Bhutan is eagerly waiting to export hydroelectricity to Bangladesh.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is currently in New Delhi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Bangladesh premier told her Bhutanese counterpart that a tripartite agreement is necessary to bring electricity from Bhutan through Indian territory, and the matter has already been brought to the attention of India.
During the courtesy call, the entire gamut of bilateral relations between the two countries came up for discussions, Hasan said.
“Both the countries have reiterated their commitment of enhancing the existing multifaceted relations,” he added.
The Bhutanese prime minister thanked the Bangladesh premier for building a burn unit in his country and supplied essential drugs for one year. He also highly praised the development of Bangladesh under the dynamic leadership of Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina said Bhutan has occupied a special place in the heart of Bangladesh as it was the first to recognise Bangladesh as an independent nation after the 1971 Liberation War.
"We are ready to extend all kinds of assistance to Bhutan," she said.
She emphasised on proper use of the place given to India at the Special Economic Zone in Kurigram and hoped Bhutan will make industries there.
The PM sought Bhutanese investment in Bangladesh, said the foreign minister.
The Bhutanese prime minister highly praised Saima Wazed, the only daughter of Bangladesh premier and regional director of WHO South-East Asia Region, and mentioned her recent visit to Bhutan.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud; Private Industry and Investment Advisor to Prime Minister Salman Fazlur Rahman; State Minister, Ministry of Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu; Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary M Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah; Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Masud Bin Momen; Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin; and PM's Press Secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan were present among others from Bangladesh.
Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Chandra Bahadur Gurung; Ministry of Home Affairs Tshering; Ambassador of Bhutan to India Maj Gen V Namgyel; Cabinet Secretary Kesang Deki; and Foreign Secretary Pema Choden were represented on the Bhutanese side.
