Guwahati: The India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline was launched on Saturday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina via video conference.
During his address in the inauguration ceremony, PM Modi said, “Today is the start of a new edition of relations between India and Bangladesh. The India-Bangladesh friendship pipeline was initiated in September 2018. This pipeline will help in providing Northern West Bengal districts with 1 million metric tonnes of high-speed diesel. This will reduce the cost and will also reduce the carbon footprint of the supply.”
He further said, “I am confident that this pipeline will further speed up the development of Bangladesh and be an excellent example of the increasing connectivity between both the countries.”
According to PM Modi, the neighbouring nation has advanced noticeably over the past few years under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.
The 130-kilometer pipeline, which was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 377 crores, is the first cross-border energy pipeline between Bangladesh and India. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Indian government provided grant assistance to help build the Bangladesh portion of the pipeline, which cost about Rs 285 crore.
According to the Dhaka-Delhi agreement in the initial phase fuel oil would be transferred to Bangladesh through a pipeline for a period of 15 years. However, the countries could agree to prolong the time.
According to the announcement, the Pipeline can move 1 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) annually. At the beginning, it will provide high-speed diesel to seven areas in northern Bangladesh.
The functioning of the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline would establish a long-term, dependable, economical, and eco-friendly method of transferring HSD from India to Bangladesh and will further strengthen bilateral cooperation in energy security.