Bangladesh Pipeline
07, Sep 2018
Prelims level : International
Mains level : Paper – II India & its Neighbourhood Relation
- India will build pipelines to carry diesel and natural gas to Bangladesh as the world’s third largest energy consumer looks to strengthen ties with the neighbour.
About:
- Prime Minister of Bangladesh and her Indian counterpart jointly inaugurated the construction work of 130km Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline between Shiliguri in West Bengal and Parbatipur in Dinajpur.
- The start of works for Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline is going to add a new chapter in the friendship of the two countries. It will play a huge role in the mega project taken up by the Bangladesh government.
- The pipeline, would specially contribute to fuel supply in a cheaper rate in Bangladesh’s northern part while after its construction with Indian financing, the infrastructure would be handed over to Bangladesh government.
- This will be the first such pipeline through which refined diesel will be supplied to Parbatipur depot from Numaligarh of Assam in India.
- The 131-km pipeline will be laid from from Siliguri in West Bengal to Parbatipur in northern Bangladesh to transport diesel, a line from Dattapulia in West Bengal will take natural gas to Khulna, the third-largest city of Bangladesh
- The pipelines are part of a non-binding Framework of Understanding (FoU) which India will enter into with Bangladesh for cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector.
- India will supply 2.5 lakh tonnes of diesel for the first three years through the pipeline and the amount will be increased to 4 lakh MT in the last five years.
- The import of fuel will be further raised in future through the pipeline as per the requirements of The NRL will distribute diesel for 15 years through the pipeline and the time could be expanded following the consent of both sides.
Significance:
- The Indian prime minister said that the two countries implemented a number of projects within a short time which are the symbols of good relations.
- Bangladesh-India bilateral cooperation had reached to a new height in the past few years while prospects for economic development would substantially be enhanced through such bilateral projects as ‘economic development is the biggest challenge for South Asian countries. These projects are very important for people-to-people contact between the two countries.