UNB, Dhaka:Bangladesh is facing hurdles in its move to import electricity from an Indian company’s power plant in Nepal. According to official sources, the Indian company, GMR, has been engaged in setting up a 1,600 MW hydro power plant in Nepal utilizing the hydro potentials lying with the Himalayan basin.The private company’s such huge power plant project will come into operation in 2019. Most of its power will be sold and supplied in the Indian market. If any potential buyer is found outside India, GMR has also a plan to expand its market elsewhere.Officials at Bangladesh’s state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) said that having learned about the Indian company’s marketing policy, they contacted GMR and had discussions on power purchase from their Nepal project.”We have proposed to import 500 MW of electricity from GMR’s Nepal plant. The company also agreed in principle to supply the electricity,” said a chief engineer of the PDB.He also informed that the GMR’s offer is viable for Bangladesh. “But when Bangladesh started pursuing the issue with the Indian government, it is not getting any positive response from Indian side,” the official told UNB.Wishing anonymity, the official said that the big hurdles which Bangladesh face is the crossing of Indian corridor. At present, Bangla-desh has agreement to import electricity from Indian market under which it has been importing about 500 MW of electricity, half from public sector and half from private sector plants.”But when Bangladesh would move to import electricity from any plant in Nepal, it has to cross the Indian corridor. At present, Bangladesh has no agreement with India to cross or utilize it’s corridor to import electricity,” the official noted.He also informed that Bangladesh has been pursuing to obtain Indian consent to utilize its corridor.On different occasions, Indian policymakers, particularly at the political level has showed positive outlook.
