India's Tipaimukh power project would not harm Bangla interests: NSA

New Delhi, Dec 2 (PTI) India sought to allay the concerns of Bangladesh over Tipaimukh power project being built in the northeast Indian state of Manipur when two special advisors of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon here on Thursday. Gowhar Rizvi and Mashiur Rahman, who are here as part of regular visits to review the status of bilateral relations, held detailed discussions on ways to improve bilateral ties, sources said. Tipaimukh was one of the issues that came up during the meeting, the sources said, adding Menon clearly told them that the project would in no way harm the interests of Bangladesh. Amid renewed concerns in Bangladesh, India has expressed readiness to discuss the issues related to the project. Bangladesh wrote to India last week, seeking discussions on the issue which has assumed political overtones in that country. In its response, the Indian government said it was ready to hold discussions and modalities could be worked out through diplomatic channels. India has already allayed apprehensions of Bangladesh at the highest level over the 1500 MW project being constructed on Barak river, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh writing to Bangladesh opposition leader Khaleda Zia in this regard last week. Singh, who was replying to a letter written by Zia voicing concerns over the dam, has conveyed to her that the project in no way would affect the interests of Bangladesh. A 10-member delegation of political leaders from Bangladesh had visited the Tipaimukh project site in 2009 and left convinced that it would not hurt the interests of that country. PTI