Dhaka sets conditions on India`s power corridor

Bangladesh has refused to rubber-stamp India's proposal to route a high-voltage power corridor through its territory, insisting on stringent conditions -- a stance reflecting Dhaka's broader recalibration towards its powerful neighbour since February's election.

The 765kV line, intended to carry electricity from Assam to Bihar, has met firm resistance from energy officials unwilling to compromise national interests for India's unilateral convenience. Their conditions include clarity on whether dam-generated power from the Brahmaputra would traverse the corridor, given the ecological risks this poses to northern Bangladesh; equal access to a regional grid for cheaper Nepali and Bhutanese hydropower; a guaranteed import quota; and a full cost-benefit analysis. Despite India's lobbying, Dhaka favours a jointly negotiated regional arrangement over a bilateral one skewed towards Indian interests.

Compounding this friction is the unresolved matter of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's prospective Delhi visit, personally invited by Narendra Modi. A tentative late-August trip was shelved amid protocol confusion, with officials confirming no visit will proceed until India shows tangible progress on repatriating former premier Sheikh Hasina -- a demand fuelled by lingering outrage over her recent virtual address in New Delhi.

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Analysts see this as deliberate recalibration rather than obstinacy: Dhaka is pursuing a "Bangladesh First" doctrine of sovereign equality, diversifying ties with Pakistan, the Gulf and China. Whether Delhi can accommodate these demands will shape whether any visit, bilateral or at September's BRICS outreach, ultimately proceeds.