The commissioning of fuel oil imports from India’s Siliguri district via a pipeline could be done next month for uninterrupted fuel supply and to decrease the cost of transportation to the north. Meghna Petroleum Limited (MPL), on behalf of state-owned BPC, and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) of India are jointly implementing the project. This information was given by Daily Banik Barta quoting the implementing agencies.
The India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline Project will cost Tk 520 crores. Of this, the Government of India will provide a grant of Rs 303 crores and BPC will provide Tk 217 crores. The project implementation period is from January 2020 to June 2022. If the project is implemented, an uninterrupted supply of fuel oil to the north will become possible. This will drive agriculture and trade. As a whole, it will play a role in improving the economic standard of living of the people of the region.
Recently, NRL Managing Director SK Barua said that the commissioning of fuel oil imports through the pipeline from Siliguri could begin next month. He said this in an interview with the Indian think tank Irabati Research and Communication Center (IRCC).
Project Director Tipu Sultan said that work on the project is underway. The work of laying the pipeline is nearing completion. Work is now underway to connect the riverbed portion of the project. It is hoped that the project will be completed within the stipulated period.
If the supply to the pipeline starts, the cost of fuel supply in the country will come down. Whereas barrels cost 8 dollars each via road transport from Chattogram, oil supplied through the pipeline will cost 5 dollars per barrel. Along with fuel supply taking less time, the people of 16 districts of the northern region will be able to enjoy this facility. The process of importing oil from India started in 2018 intending to increase the energy supply in the north. On 18 September of that year, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between India and Bangladesh. At that time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the foundation stone of this program.
Of the total 131.5 kilometres long pipeline, 126.5 kilometres will be in Bangladesh and 5 kilometres will be in India. 82.17 kilometres of the 10-inch diameter pipeline will be laid in Panchagarh, the northernmost district, 35.5 kilometres in Dinajpur district, and 9 kilometres in Nilphamari district.
