Hasina-Modi to inaugurate Bangladesh-India Friendship Oil Pipeline Saturday

The first ever cross-border energy pipeline between Bangladesh and India will be inaugurated on Saturday afternoon, reports news agency BSS.

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi will inaugurate the ‘India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline’ via video-conferencing, according to a press release issued by Indian Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi on Thursday evening.

The 130-kilometre first ever cross border energy pipeline between Bangladesh and India was built at an estimated cost of INR 3.77 billion.

The Bangladesh section of the pipeline, built at a cost of nearly INR 2.85 billion, has been borne by the Indian government under its grant assistance.

The Pipeline has a capacity to transport 1 million tonne (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) per annum. It will supply High Speed Diesel initially to seven districts in northern Bangladesh.

A long-term agreement was signed in 2017 to import diesel from India to Bangladesh through the pipeline, which stretches from West Bengal’s Siliguri to a Meghna petroleum depot in Dinajpur’s Parbatipur, according to official sources.

The operation of ‘Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline’ will put in place a sustainable, reliable, cost-effective and environment friendly mode of transporting HSD from India to Bangladesh.

It will further enhance cooperation in energy security between the two friendly neighbours, the release added.