Bangladesh PM Hasina seeks India's help in promoting green energy

During talks with Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Prime Minister Hasina sought India's cooperation in promoting hydropower-based green energy. Both India and Bangladesh could be benefitted from the hydropower generation in Nepal and Bhutan, she added.

Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday sought India's cooperation in promoting hydropower-based green energy involving Nepal and Bhutan for mutual benefit.

Prime Minister Hasina said this during talks withForeign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla who called on her at the premier's official residence ‘Ganabhaban' here.

During their talks, issues of bilateral cooperation alongside pending matters relating to Dhaka-Delhi ties came up for discussion, according to Hasina's press secretary Ihsanul Karim.

She said that “both the countries could be benefitted from the hydropower generation in Nepal and Bhutan.”

She said 99 per cent Bangladesh now came under electricity coverage but her government was trying to promote green energy sources, including solar power.

Shringla, who arrived here on a two-day official visit to review the wide-ranging cooperation between the two neighbours, conveyed greetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to premier Hasina on the 50th anniversary of Maitri Diwas or Friendship Day.

He also talked about the cooperation in the IT sector and wanted to share new technologies in the IT sector.

He said that India wanted to invest in renewable energy in Bangladesh.

The Foreign Secretary also put emphasis on reestablishing Siliguri-Parbatipur, Dhaka-Siliguri and Dhaka-Jalpaiguri railway communication.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami and Policy Adviser in the Ministry of External Affair Ashok Malik were also present in the meeting.

PTI