DHAKA: State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu has said the government made a plan to import diesel through pipeline from India from 2017. 

The state minister came up with the disclosure addressing parliament in response to a query from a lawmaker.

He said after importing power from the neighboring country, Bangladesh took initiatives to import diesel through pipeline and hoped that the project will be completed till 2017.

Replying to a question of MP Didarul Alam of Chittagong, the state minister said that both the countries had approved ‘Terms of Reference’ (ToR) to prepare the ‘Detailed Feasibility Study’ for importing diesel.

Nasrul also told the House that the Awami League government after assuming power in 2009 took several steps to develop the relations between the two neighboring countries over power import.

The first inter-nation gridline in South Asia was established in Bheramara of Bangladesh and Berhampur of India. Bangladesh imported 500 MW power from October, 2013 through the line.

In replying to another question form lawmaker Nurunnabi Chowdhury regarding fuel import, he further said they would import 13 lakh tonnes unrefined fuel from Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia to fulfill the demand that would cost around Tk 9,768 crore. 

BDST: 1705 HRS, JUN 25, 2014