India, Bangladesh discuss cooperation in hydrocarbons

With Bangladesh recently allowing passage of Indian trucks carrying petroleum products to the Indian state of Tripura through the former's territory, India and the neighbouring nation on Wednesday discussed other areas of bilateral cooperation in hydrocarbons.

According to an Indian Petroleum Ministry release, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met here with Bangladeshi Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid and thanked him for permitting Indian trucks to pass through Bangladesh.

"Pradhan discussed with his Bangladesh counterpart the issue of supply of high speed diesel (HSD) from the Siliguri terminal of Numaligarh Refineries Ltd to Parbatipur depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation," the statement said.

"Both sides are working on details of the proposed pipeline project -- the Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline -- between Siliguri and Parbatipur," it said.

Indian Oil Corp (IOC) had last month transported petroleum products from the northeastern state of Assam to Tripura through Bangladesh. The arrangement was due to the difficulties faced in carrying petrol and diesel through the Indian roads of the region.

The new route via Bangladesh saves time and costs in carrying petroleum products from Assam to Tripura as the existing over 400 km mountainous route requires more than ten hours to traverse. The short-term India-Bangladesh deal on shipping petroleum products was valid till September 30.

"Both Ministers also discussed the status of various Indian proposals that have been shared with the Bangladeshi side, including the setting up of LPG import terminal at Chittagong by IOC and its onward transportation by road to the Tripura bottling plant," the statement said.

"Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL) in Kutubdia Island near Chittagong is finalising an MoU with Petrobangla on setting up of the LNG terminal."

The two ministers also reviewed the progress on work being done by Engineers India Ltd on the expansion of Eastern Refineries Ltd, Chittagong, it added.

--IANS

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