VOA新闻杂志2022--印度和孟加拉国致力于资源共享、发展

India, Bangladesh Aim to Share Resources, Development

India and Bangladesh have signed a water-sharing agreement. Under the deal, the two countries agreed to cooperate in the use of the Kushiyara River.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Mister Narendra Modi signed six other agreements. They included deals on space technology and scientific cooperation.

Hasina signed the deal on a four-day visit to India that many consider politically important for her home country. A general election is planned for next year.

The deal on the Kushiyara River is the first of its kind between the countries since 1996. It will help southern parts of Assam state in India and the Sylhet area in Bangladesh, Modi said.

But the two countries could not reach an agreement on another river. For many years, Bangladesh has pushed for a deal on water sharing for the Teesta River, a major border river. It begins in India's Sikkim state and runs through the north of West Bengal state before entering Bangladesh.

In 2011, India agreed to share water during the dry season, between December and March. But a deal was never reached because of opposition¹ from West Bengal state's chief minister. The unresolved issue has long angered Bangladesh, where many have been critical of Modi for not making progress on the agreement.

Hasina has kept a strong relationship with India since becoming prime minister in 2009. She said: "We hope that all our outstanding issues, including the Teesta water sharing treaty, would be concluded at an early date," she told reporters.

The two leaders also spoke² about nuclear energy partnerships⁴, terrorism and preventing floods.

They also announced the completion of the first part of the Maitree Thermal⁵ Power Plant. It is joint⁶ project that will improve Bangladesh's electricity production. The project has long faced local and worldwide opposition.

In 2016, the United Nations agency UNESCO said it threatens the world's largest mangrove⁷ forests in the Sundarbans national park, which are less than 15 kilometers away.

The power plant is expected to release up to 592 million tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime, said the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a research group. However, officials in both countries have backed the project, especially since energy prices have increased after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Last month, Bangladesh ordered schools to close an extra day each week and government offices to cut short their workdays by an hour to reduce electricity use.

China also is involved in many major infrastructure⁸ projects in Bangladesh. India has aimed to get involved in more joint projects like the power plant. India is currently Bangladesh's largest trading partner in South Asia.

Both leaders have directed their ministers to begin negotiations⁹ on a larger economic partnership³ agreement this year.

Hasina said India is "the most important, closest neighbor for Bangladesh."

Words in This Story

outstanding — adj. continuing to exist

mangrove — n. a tropical tree that grows big roots in shallow water or watery¹⁰ places

infrastructure — n. structures needed for modern life like roads, bridges, ports and factories

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

4 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

5 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 mangrove   

n.(植物)红树，红树林

参考例句：

• It is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest.它是世界上最大的红树林沼泽地。
• Many consider this the most beautiful mangrove forest in all Thailand.许多人认为这里是全泰国最美丽的红树林了。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

10 watery   

adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的

参考例句：

• In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
• Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏，她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。