Indo-Bangla fuel pipeline will ensure energy security: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline will play a pivotal role in ensuring fuel security in Bangladesh while many countries across the globe are facing severe fuel crises due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

"When many countries across the country are on the verge of fuel crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war at that time this pipeline will play a vital role in ensuring fuel security of our people," she said.

The PM said this while inaugurating the 131.57-km cross-border Indo-Bangla friendship pipeline as part of energy sector cooperation between the two neighbouring countries through which Bangladesh will import petroleum, especially diesel from India.

Hasina and her Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurated the newly built pipeline.

Hasina was connected from her official residence Gono Bhaban while Modi was connected from his office.

Hasina said that both Bangladesh and India have materialised many possibilities in the recent past regarding the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India.

"We have settled all our bilateral problems one by one," she said.

She mentioned that both the neighbouring countries are working together for their development.

"We are getting cooperation for our development from India," she said.

"The time and expenditure for importing diesel from India will be reduced significantly by this pipeline," she added.

She also mentioned that the supply of diesel in 16 districts in the northern region of the country will remain stable.

Hasina said that India is a genuine friend of Bangladesh.

"I want that the friendship of our two countries will remain intact," she said.

She said that Bangladesh has got the recognition as a developing country and the government wanted to implement that.

"By 2041 we want to make Bangladesh more developed," she said.

She mentioned that for the overall development of the two countries, the people will work jointly.

She also said that the government has developed Mongla port, Chattogram port, Sylhet International Airport, Chattogram International Airport while Syedpur Airport has been upgraded as a regional airport.

"We are opening these ports for India completely, there will be no problem for India to use these ports. It will ease the trade and commerce, and the people of both countries will be benefitted," she said.

She mentioned that this pipeline is a trademark achievement of cooperation between the two friendly countries.

"Apart from ensuring fuel security this pipeline will increase economic growth," she said.

She invited investors from India to come up with their investments in the economic zones across the country which will be beneficial for the two neighbouring countries. The government is establishing 100 economic zones across the country.

She hoped that like this pipeline, Bangladesh and India will jointly celebrate many more successes in the coming days.

Modi also spoke at the programme joining from his office.