BanglaBhoot
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Dhaka, May 6 (bdnwes24.com)India will write off 200 million dollars of the one billion being loaned to Bangladesh for various projects, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced in Dhaka on Sunday.
"India will treat the amount as grant, not credit," Mukherjee told a group of senior editors as he wound up a 20-hour trip to Dhaka.
The rest $800 million will bear a one percent interest, instead of previously announced 2.75 percent.
"This US$ 200 million will be utilised for projects that Bangladesh prioritises," he said.
Answering a question from the editor of The Financial Express, Moazzem Hossain, Mukjherjee said New Delhi had already relaxed the rules of origin criteria for the projects and would consider more flexible terms.
The Indian minister, who is widely tipped to become the next President of the country, blamed "ground realities" such as lack of majority of the ruling party for failure to seal the Teesta water sharing deal.
"In a democracy such as ours," he said "this process often becomes time consuming."
"There are certain issues that need to be resolved," Mukherjee said of the Teesta deal delay and described the issue as "sensitive".
On the alleged delays in delivering on promises, the minister defended the work so far saying that projects worth $ 820 million had already been identified and that five contracts worth $ 214 million had already been signed.
He said that buses had been delivered, and that coaches and locomotives were on their way.
He spoke of the 1320-mw power plant being built and the 500-mw of power that would be bought from India.
On Tipaimukh, Mukherjee said a sub-group would look into "all aspects" of the controversial project and reiterated that India would take "no unilateral action that would harm Bangladesh".
Mukherjee came to attend the concluding ceremonies of a year-long programme marking the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and hailed the joint venture events as unique and having no parallel in history.
"The manner in which our countries have marked this anniversary is an example," he said.
The celebrations were mooted in Jan, 2010 when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India and brought together a high number of artistes from both countries though events in both countries.
A concluding ceremony for the Indian part of the series of events will take place in New Delhi on Monday where Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni will be present as chief guest.
The Indian minister said an event had been planned to mark the 90th anniversary of the composition of the immortal poem 'Bidrohi' by Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Mukherjee said he had "wide-ranging and friendly discussions" with the prime minister, with whom he had a luncheon meeting at her official home before the views-exchange session with the editors, and spoke of "warmth, cordiality, trust and understanding".
He had a breakfast meeting with the finance minister on Sunday and a tete-e-tete with the foreign minister in the afternoon.
On his way to the airport, he stopped to meet the Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia in Gulshan.
On the likelihood of becoming the first Bengali president of India, the man from Paschim Bangla was all smiles and said "nothing is certain in our situation" until it actually happened.
Mukherjee flew in Saturday night by a special aircraft from Manila and gave his Bangladesh counterpart a lift from the Philippines capital where both attended a meeting of the Asian Development Bank.
India to write off $200m | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com
The Indians are desperate for transit. We should return the whole $1 billion and tell them to go to hell.
"India will treat the amount as grant, not credit," Mukherjee told a group of senior editors as he wound up a 20-hour trip to Dhaka.
The rest $800 million will bear a one percent interest, instead of previously announced 2.75 percent.
"This US$ 200 million will be utilised for projects that Bangladesh prioritises," he said.
Answering a question from the editor of The Financial Express, Moazzem Hossain, Mukjherjee said New Delhi had already relaxed the rules of origin criteria for the projects and would consider more flexible terms.
The Indian minister, who is widely tipped to become the next President of the country, blamed "ground realities" such as lack of majority of the ruling party for failure to seal the Teesta water sharing deal.
"In a democracy such as ours," he said "this process often becomes time consuming."
"There are certain issues that need to be resolved," Mukherjee said of the Teesta deal delay and described the issue as "sensitive".
On the alleged delays in delivering on promises, the minister defended the work so far saying that projects worth $ 820 million had already been identified and that five contracts worth $ 214 million had already been signed.
He said that buses had been delivered, and that coaches and locomotives were on their way.
He spoke of the 1320-mw power plant being built and the 500-mw of power that would be bought from India.
On Tipaimukh, Mukherjee said a sub-group would look into "all aspects" of the controversial project and reiterated that India would take "no unilateral action that would harm Bangladesh".
Mukherjee came to attend the concluding ceremonies of a year-long programme marking the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and hailed the joint venture events as unique and having no parallel in history.
"The manner in which our countries have marked this anniversary is an example," he said.
The celebrations were mooted in Jan, 2010 when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India and brought together a high number of artistes from both countries though events in both countries.
A concluding ceremony for the Indian part of the series of events will take place in New Delhi on Monday where Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni will be present as chief guest.
The Indian minister said an event had been planned to mark the 90th anniversary of the composition of the immortal poem 'Bidrohi' by Kazi Nazrul Islam.
Mukherjee said he had "wide-ranging and friendly discussions" with the prime minister, with whom he had a luncheon meeting at her official home before the views-exchange session with the editors, and spoke of "warmth, cordiality, trust and understanding".
He had a breakfast meeting with the finance minister on Sunday and a tete-e-tete with the foreign minister in the afternoon.
On his way to the airport, he stopped to meet the Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia in Gulshan.
On the likelihood of becoming the first Bengali president of India, the man from Paschim Bangla was all smiles and said "nothing is certain in our situation" until it actually happened.
Mukherjee flew in Saturday night by a special aircraft from Manila and gave his Bangladesh counterpart a lift from the Philippines capital where both attended a meeting of the Asian Development Bank.
India to write off $200m | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com
The Indians are desperate for transit. We should return the whole $1 billion and tell them to go to hell.
on the last two lines of u
