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Bhutan Positive on Transit and HydroPower Plant

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Bhutan sees 'no problem' in India transit | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com
Bhutan sees 'no problem' in India transit
Thu, Jan 13th, 2011 7:53 pm

Dhaka, Jan 13 (bdnews24.com)—Bhutan and Bangladesh both can do trade using Indian territories, its premier Jigme Y Thinley has said.

"As of now, we don't see any difficulty in transit through India," Thinley told reporters at Hotel Sonargaon on Thursday while briefing reporters on his meetings with the Sheikh Hasina and other Bangladesh officials.

His comments apparently intended to allay suspicion in diplomatic circles that India would not allow Bangladeshi trucks to reach Bhutan and vice versa through its territories.

He said his country would explore the possibility of involving Bangladesh in its future hydro electric projects "as soon as possible".

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina during her meeting with Thinley requested him to help Bangladesh overcome its power crisis.

Mountainous Bhutan have potentials to produce up to 45,000 mega watts of hydro electricity; of which the kingdom can now produce up to 15,000 megawatts with foreign funding, mainly from India.

bdnews24.com/krc/am/1920h
 
Bhutan has power to spare. BD can and should try to import that power. India needs to be negotiated evenly for access.
 
Give us transit and get in return..This was bound to happen.All the regional governments need to work closely for benefit of all..
 
Bhutan for tri-nation talk

Friday, January 14, 2011
Front PageBangladesh's Demand for Electricity
Bhutan for tri-nation talk
Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley, Diplomatic Correspondent

Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Y Thinley yesterday came up with an idea of holding a tri-nation discussion among Bangladesh, Bhutan and India to meet Bangladesh's acute demand for electricity.

"Why three of us should not discuss how can we meet the needs of Bangladesh sooner than later?" he said while addressing a press conference at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel yesterday evening.

Thinley is due to depart Dhaka this morning ending his four-day visit to Bangladesh.

Speaking at the press conference, he said currently Bhutan is rather over capacitated with 10 mega hydraulic power projects committed to India, which will be completed by 2020.

"We like to help Bangladesh and explore generation of hydropower in Bhutan for Bangladesh," said Prime Minister Thinley.

He mentioned that Bangladesh proposed for investment in hydropower in Bhutan on equity share basis or direct purchasing from Bhutan.

He expressed gratitude to the Bangladesh government for offering Bhutan to use Chittagong and Mongla seaports. Thinley visited Mongla seaport yesterday and was impressed to see the existing facilities.

He said a team from Bhutan would come to Bangladesh to see how efficiently they can use these ports.

In reply to a question, the Bhutanese premier said there is tremendous goodwill between the two countries to promote mutual trade not only for economic benefit but also for other benefits. He said present trade volume could be increased to $100 million from $30 million in the next few years.

Asked about the agreement on cooperation in the health sector, he said they would expect at least 20-30 doctors a year -- some highly specialised doctors and some general physicians with five years' experience -- to be recruited on deputation.

He sought for specialised doctors from government hospitals to support the health delivery system in Bhutan since his country has acute shortage of doctors.

Under the cultural agreement, Thinley said he likes to see access of more Bhutanese students to study in Bangladesh, particularly medical science. Under the deal he said tourism industry can be expanded.

The Bhutanese premier, who arrived here on January 10 and held talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said his visit is "very satisfying and wonderful".

Bhutanese Health Minister Lyonpo Zangley Dulpa, Cabinet Secretary Dasho Tashi Phuntshog and Foreign Secretary Dasho Daw Penjo were present at the press conference.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Bhutan have agreed to further intensify their mutually beneficial cooperation, trade and commerce, investment, connectivity and transit.

This was stated in a 13-point joint press statement issued on the concluding day of the Bhutanese premier's visit.

Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in climate change, tourism, people-to-people contacts, cultural cooperation, education, agriculture, health, hydropower, water resources management and employment of skilled and semi-skilled Bangladeshis in Bhutan.

The prime minister of Bhutan lauded the leadership of his Bangladeshi counterpart in forging dynamism into relations among the countries of the region, particularly in the context of sub-regional cooperation for the socioeconomic uplift of the people of the region.

The two sides also exchanged views on cooperation in other regional and international forums and noted the commonality of their views and positions on all major issues and agreed to continue to work together in the future for mutual benefits.
 
Bhutan transit takes shape

Monday, January 17, 2011
BusinessBhutan transit takes shape
Refayet Ullah Mirdha

Bangladesh plans an exclusive waterway transit for Bhutan as a committee prepares the final documents to give transit facilities to neighbouring countries.

A senior member of the transit sub-committee said they are considering potential routes which could be included for regional connectivity, besides the conventional routes.

A waterway transit for Bhutan from Bangladesh's Doikhawa border under Lalmonirhat district is likely, he said. This is a potential transit route for Bhutan, as the country is eager to use Mongla Port, he added.

"We have already identified major conventional transit routes for India, Nepal and Bhutan. Now we are spotting new routes for them. We are also planning for a railway transit among the South Asian nations," the member said, asking not to be named.

Studies are still progressing on transit fees and infrastructures, he said. All five sub-committees are preparing the final report to submit to the government but he did not mention when it would be submitted.

Earlier, the government formed five sub-committees on December 13, assigning five specialists to give their input to Mojibur Rahman, chief of the core committee, who is also the chairman of Bangladesh Tariff Commission.

M Rahmatullah, former director of UN-ESCAP, is assigned to identify transit routes, infrastructures, investment and cost recovery and Hussein Ahmed, member of National Board of Revenue, is in charge of estimation of transit traffic, fees and charges.

Sadik Ahmed, executive director of Policy Research Institute, is convening the economic analysis, and Mustafizur Rahman, executive director of Centre for Policy Dialogue, is assigned to review key issues of transit and related international protocols.

Hussein Ahmed was also assigned on legal issues, including security, monitoring, anti-smuggling measures, international practices, domestic obligations and related matters.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the joint communiqué for regional transit including Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan on her visit to India last January.
 
Give us transit and get in return..This was bound to happen.All the regional governments need to work closely for benefit of all..

It has become a no-thanks job for Bangladesh to give India any transit to its NE. However, BD has given India a few numbers of river transits. BD will ask for river routes for Bhutanese and Nepalese goods to come via Indian river system for export to foreign countries through Mongla.

We are not calling these routes as reciprocals, because unlike Indian NE, Bhutan and Nepal are sovereign countries. The proposed river routes do not benefit BD. But, it is asking them only to strengthen the sovereignty of the two northern countries.
 
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