Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina will virtually inaugurate the first cross-border oil pipeline between the two countries on March 18 for diesel transportation to Bangladesh. Delhi would use the 130-km long India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFPL), which has been built at a cost of ₹346 crore, from the Indian line of credit (LoC).
Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Andalib Elias has called the cross-border oil pipeline the real manifestation of the wonderful friendship of India and Bangladesh. “PM Modi and my PM Sheikh Hasina first initiated this pipeline a few years ago. On 18th March, it will be formally launched. The oil will start going through it. That’s a huge step forward in the wonderful friendship that we have.”
The pipeline stretches 125 km inside Bangladesh territory and 5 km inside India. The two premiers joined the ground-breaking ceremony for the IBFPL in September 2018 through video conferencing.
Bangladesh used to import diesel from India through railway carriages. The Bangladeshi foreign minister said that he has also urged New Delhi to ensure an uninterrupted supply of essential products to Bangladesh. Momen said India gave high respect to the Bangladesh delegation throughout the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reflecting the excellent Dhaka-Delhi bilateral relations.
