India invited the team two months ago after a section of environmentalists and NGOs began campaigning against the project.

But the issue got politicised and Bangladesh's opposition parties have joined the protests.

There have been protest rallies outside the Indian high commission here.

Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party kept out of the visit and its chief, former prime minister Khaleda Zia has written to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to abandon the project.

The Bangladesh Jatiya Party Monday filed a writ before the Dhaka High Court opposing the team's visit. The party challenged what it called the 'inaction' of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, New Age newspaper said.

The team will meet India's External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and Minister of State for Power Bharatsinh Solanki before leaving for the project site in Manipur.

A meeting with Indian Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal would not be held as New Delhi did not want it, New Age said Wednesday.

Meeting Hasina in Egypt earlier this month, Manmohan Singh had assured that India would not do anything that could harm Bangladesh's interests. Both sides have since said they would resolve the issue through talks.