How come Bangladesh has $ 200 million, which Sri Lanka does not?

PM Rajapaksa meeting Bangladeshi PM Hasina

By Dr Tilak Siyambalapitiya

A few weeks ago, Bangladesh told the visiting Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, about how cautious they were in getting loans. Sri Lanka has been “generous” in borrowing and building expressways with little traffic, a port with a few ships and an airport with a few planes, and a conference centre with no events. Each possibly built at double the engineers’ estimate, with money borrowed at commercial rates.

And now, the $ 200 million currency swap with Bangladesh!

The highest savings for Bangladesh have been in the electricity sector. While Sri Lanka’s leaders (2015-2019) were falling over each other, trying to divert our gas terminal tender toward their friends, Bangladesh build two gas terminals by 2020. The result: minimum use of oil to produce electricity; use cheaper imported gas for electricity and industry.

It is with great “pride” that Sri Lanka’s President in 2015 cancelled the Sampur power plant. Sampur was to be a joint venture between Sri Lanka and India. At the same time, Bangladesh was negotiating a similar power plant in a joint venture with India. While the Sri Lankan leader cancelled Sampur and ran behind oil power plant vendors, Bangladesh forged ahead with theirs, beating all odds to get their power plant built.

The name of the Bangladesh power plant is Ramphal, 1320 megawatt; it is now ready to produce electricity. Its sister power plant in Sampur Sri Lanka was killed by Sri Lankan leaders. The annual loss to Sri Lanka is about $ 500 million, to import oil to produce the same electricity. So, you now know why Sri Lanka does not have any more dollars left to buy food or vaccine. Not only this year, but for years to come.

Perhaps next year, we can borrow $ 500 million from Bangladesh to buy more oil to produce electricity at Rs 24 and to pay for that solar panel on your roof at Rs 22 per unit, which is worth only Rs 11.

And another $ 1000 million in 2022.