Myanmar offers help to B'desh for hydro power project

Dhaka, Oct 8 (UNI) Myanmar today said it will help Bangladesh set up a hydro power plant project in order to fulfill the neighbouring country's electricity needs.

As per the proposal, Bangladesh will build up the plant at its own cost and get 70 per cent of the electricity from the project, while Myanmar will get 30 per cent as royalty, Bangladesh Power and Energy Minister M Tamim said here .

Dr Tamim said he discussed with the visiting Myanmar Energy Minister Brig Gen Lun Thi, two particular issues-- gas import and setting up hydro power project.

He said it has offered Myanmar to import gas on two modes, either purchase on cash basis or set up a fertiliser plant under a joint venture.

Bangladesh will provide land and expertise while Myanmar will provide its gas and then both the countries can share the output.

But the visting Minister informed that his country has no available gas right at this moment to export to Bangladesh as it has already signed deals with China and Thailand to export its gas from the existing fields.

Mr Tamim said, the Myanmar Minister also told him that if any new gas is discovered from the ongoing exploration, then it would consider the gas export to Bangladesh.

About the dispute on the offshore gas blocks exploration between the two countries, he said the Minister has not raised any objections against Bangladesh for gas exploration in the maritime territory.

''But they said that none should carry out exploration works in the disputed areas before those are settled,'' he said, adding that Bangladesh has requested to expedite the discussion now going on between the two countries to settle the dispute.

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