Bangladesh and India are likely to start the operation of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant-II, Khulna-Mongla Port Railway Line and Akhaura-Agartala Railway Link in next September during the G-20 summit in New Delhi.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the summit as a guest at the invitation of India, the forum’s current president.

The Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant-II and Khulna-Mongla Port Railway Line are being implemented under Indian Line of Credit while Akhaura-Agartala Railway Link is being built under an Indian grant.

The information on the opening of the vital projects was conveyed when Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma called on the prime minister at her official residence Ganabhaban.

PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the call on.

He said that the prime minister thanked the Indian government for allowing Bangladesh to bring 40MW power from Nepal through Indian grid and hoped India will also allow import of power from Bhutan through their grid.

Regarding Taka-Rupee exchange system, the Indian high commissioner mentioned that two types of cards like credit cards would be issued. One will be Rupay Card and other will be Taka Card.

“Both sides will issue these cards so that people of the two countries could use these cards for their payments,” he said.

The PM said a huge number of Bangladeshis visit India for various purposes and they can use the card.

During the meeting, both sides have expressed satisfaction with the state of the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India, said the press secretary.

The meeting also dwelt on connectivity, ongoing projects under the Indian LoCs and grants, among others.

The Indian high commissioner highly praised the prime minister’s initiative Vision-2021 and Vision-2041 to transform Bangladesh into a smart one.

“They have created a very positive vive,” he was quoted as telling PM Hasina.

Hasina hoped that India would raise its voice particularly for the Global South alongside the entire world during the G20 summit.

The Indian envoy said that his country looked forward to PM Hasina’s playing an important role at the summit.

PM’s ambassador-at-large Mohammad Ziauddin, PMO secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and Indian deputy high commissioner Dr Binoy George, were present during the meeting.