Greater value could be added to the newly built cross-border power grid, which brings electricity from India to Bangladesh. Early this year, Bangladesh has diversified its international connectivity through cross-border underground optical fiber links with the Indian carriers. The six Bangladeshi International Terrestrial Cable (ITC) operators are, however, linked with their Indian counterparts through a common optical fiber link. It exposes both the parties to the risk of disconnection, once the link is snapped.
The Indo-Bangla power grid is fitted with Optical Ground Wire (OPGW) to measure the volume of electricity being flown (Red line in the map). Both the countries’ power transmission companies have been leasing the huge surplus optical fiber capacity to respective domestic telecoms outfits. Now, their OPGW of newly inaugurated power grid should bolster the trans-border supply of international Internet bandwidth. Telecoms carriers of both the countries should persuade respective government in this regard.
The taxpayers of Bangladesh and India have paid for the construction of this cross-border power transmission grid. Unused telecoms resource being embedded in this infrastructure must be exploited for the people’s interest. The oil-rich Arabs have planned to solidify regional Internet connectivity through cross-border OPGW. Neither Bangladesh nor India enjoys the luxury of keeping their infrastructure idle and let rot.
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