Dhaka to import diesel from Assam refinery

May 8, 2007, 8:15 GMT

Agartala, May 8 (IANS) Bangladesh has decided to import diesel from the Numaligarh Refinery in Assam following acute shortage of fuel, officials said Tuesday.

'Bangladesh would import 120,000 tones of diesel per annum from the Numaligarh Refinery due shortage of vehicular fuel,' Pinak Ranjan Chakraborty, Indian high commissioner in Dhaka, told journalists here.

Discussions were also on to set up a power project by the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) in Bangladesh.

'The neighbouring country has also shortage of 3,500 MW of power and BHEL is likely to set up a mega power project in eastern Bangladesh,' the Indian envoy said.

Chakraborty was on a three-day familiarisation visit to Tripura and left for Kolkata Tuesday.

'New Delhi has been asking Dhaka to continue sustained action against Indian militants taking shelter in Bangladesh, provide transit facilities to carry goods from the rest of the country to the northeastern states via Bangladesh and start a direct bus service between Agartala and Kolkata through Bangladesh,' he said.

The Indian envoy, during his stay here, held meetings with Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and other senior officials.

'The chief minister has requested the Indian envoy to take up the matter with the Bangladesh government for allowing Chittagong international port for carrying goods from the northeastern states,' an official release said.

Chittagong international port is just 75 km from south Tripura's bordering subdivision Sabroom.

Sarkar also stressed on the need for the development of necessary infrastructure of Land Custom Stations (LCS) along the India-Bangladeah border to further increase border trade.

© 2007 Indo-Asian News Service