Visit of Sh Dharmendra Pradhan Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas to Bangladesh

 Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C) for Petroleum and Natural Gas is on a three day visit to Bangladesh from 17-19 April 2016. The visit is to take stock of the ambitious agenda set for the India-Bangladesh hydrocarbon sector during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in June 2015. 

Today, Sh Pradhan met Dr Tawfiq-e-ElahiChowdhury, Adviser on Energy, Power and Mineral Resources to the Prime Minister and Mr Nasrul Hamid, Minister of State for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources of Bangladesh. During the meetings, he discussed entire gamut of issues in the bilateral hydrocarbon sector between the two countries. He discussed on the modalities for sustainable supply of High Speed Diesel from Siliguri Marketing Terminal of Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) to Parbatipur Depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC). He also discussed the status of Indian proposals that have been shared with the Bangladeshi side, including on setting up of hydrocarbon related infrastructure project in Bangladesh, setting up of LPG import terminal at Chittagong by IOCL and the Indo-Bangla Friendship Pipeline. Sh Pradhan expressed confidence that early implementation of these projects will create win-win situation for both countries. He briefed his interlocutors on the status of seismic survey being carried out by ONGC Videsh Ltd in offshore blocks allocated to it by Bangladesh.  

Sh Pradhan along with Dr Chowdhury and Mr Hamidwitnessed the signing of the MoU between IOCL and BPC on broad aspects of cooperation in downstream oil and gas sector opportunities in Bangladesh. The MoU, inter-alia, paves the way for discussion on setting up LPG import terminal at coastal belt of Chittagong district, marketing of LPG and developing related infrastructure in Bangladesh, transportation LPG from Chittagong to Tripura and any other form of hydrocarbon sector related cooperation of common interest as may be agreed by IOCL and BPC. IOCL would also be conducting a feasibility study for construction of LPG import terminal and pipeline from Chittagong to Tripura.