Dhaka: Following state-state partnerships – as in the case of the 1320 MW coal-fired Rampal power plant - India and Bangladesh appear set to open the way to partnerships between the two countries’ private sectors in the race to set up power plants in both Bangladesh and India.

This indication was dropped by Indian power secretary PK Sinha following the conclusion of a joint steering committee meeting for power sector cooperation between the two neighbouring nations that took place in Dhaka on Thursday.

‘Private-private cooperation is just like we have the public-public (involving two countries’ state-owned entities) cooperation. That could be either in Bangladesh or in India,’ he told reporters. ‘We have decided to facilitate the private-private cooperation like the public-public sector cooperation.’

Presumably, this would pave the way for joint ventures or partnerships between the two countries’ private sector companies to pool investment or other resources to augment power supply in both countries.

The Indian power secretary also mentioned that the high profile meeting, the 9^th since the steering committee’s formation, was led by power secretaries of two countries who discussed the Bangladeshi policy of drawing power from third countries in the Saarc region like Nepal and Bhutan into their national grid. Any such link-up would have to cross Indian territory.

‘We decided that we should examine the possibility also and we’ll look at the policy in terms of the regulatory measures that we need to take in India so that Bangladesh can make it possible,’ PK Sinha said.

Bangladesh power secretary Monwar Islam said that the progress on Bangladesh’s move for import of additional 600 MW power from India, of which 100 MW will come from the Palatana power project in Tripura starting next December, was reviewed. The remaining 500 MW will come by the end of 2017.

‘Technical feasibility study has been completed and other processes are underway to import the 500 MW in next two years,’ he said.

Both the secretaries informed that the meeting reviewed and discussed the progress of implementation of Indian move for establishment of high capacity multi-terminal HVDC bi-pole transmission line for inter-connection between Indian north and north-eastern region and Bangladesh, the setting up of 1320 MW coal-fired Rampal power plant near Sundarbans and also setting up of another similar capacity project by Indian NTPC in Chittagong region also came up for discussion.