DHAKA, Jan 15: Bangladesh has set three conditions for signing a tri-nation agreement on installation of a gas pipeline from Myanmar to India through Bangladesh, says AKM Mosharraf Hossain , state minister for energy and mineral resources.
"If New Delhi does not allow Dhaka to bring hydroelectricity from Nepal and Bhutan, provide the two Himalayan countries with transit facilities and reduce trade gap with Bangladesh, Dhaka will not sign any tripartite agreement," the minister said at a press conference on Saturday.
"I hope two separate agreements -- a tripartite agreement involving Dhaka, Yangon and Delhi on gas pipeline and a bilateral agreement between Dhaka and Delhi on hydroelectricity, transit and trade gap - will be signed by April," he told reporters here on his return from a two-day tri-nation meeting of energy ministers in the Myanmar capital that ended on January 13.
Myanmar Energy Minister Brigadier General Lun Thi, Indian Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar represented their governments at the meeting. The meeting agreed to cooperate in gas exploration and an on-land pipeline project to pump offshore natural gas from western Myanmar to India through Bangladesh.
"We have told the Indian minister that Delhi has to fulfil three conditions if it wants Dhaka to sign the tripartite agreement and he agreed," said Mr Hossain. "Mr Aiyar told us to submit a formal proposal on the conditions which we will submit soon."
The Myanmar minister also requested the Indian minister to address Dhaka's conditions before signing the agreement, he said. "Nepal and Bhutan will also be involved in the agreement on hydroelectricity and transit."
When pointed out that India has refused to sign any multilateral agreement on hydroelectricity transmission from Nepal and Bhutan and transit over the years, the state minister said: "India will have to come to sign the agreement this time if it wants the gas pipeline."
India owns 30 per cent of around six trillion cubic feet gas, which it intends to take to India from western Myanmar and Bangladesh is the only viable route. Myanmar owns 30 per cent and Daewoo, a South Korean company, owns the rest.
He claimed that Bangladesh and India would get profit once the agreement on gas pipeline was signed and implemented. "Bangladesh will earn about $125 million annually as royalty and maintenance charge from the proposed pipeline. Besides, around $300 million might be invested on the pipeline."
Mr Hossain said the meeting in Yangon had decided to form a six-member committee, headed by the director general of the energy ministry of Myanmar, and represented by two members each from the three countries, to carry out a study on the proposed route of the pipeline and charges of pipeline, quelling and management. "We will send the names of two members within a day or two and the committee would submit its report soon."
The ministry will submit the draft agreement for cabinet's approval after getting the report from the committee, he said. "A meeting of energy ministers is likely to be held in Dhaka in April where the agreement might be signed."
Mr Hossain said agreements with Delhi regarding hydroelectric transmission and transit might be signed at the same time, if not earlier. He said an international consortium of the private sector would be formed on the basis of the tripartite agreement.
He said they had discussed six proposed routes, including offshore routes, Myanmar-Chittagong-Comilla-West Bengal and Mayanmar-Tripura-Brahmanbaria-Khulna-West Bengal, at the meeting.
"However, the route of the pipeline will be mutually finalized ensuring adequate access, maximum security and optimal economic utilization for each party." Bangladesh and India will reserve the right to access the pipeline as and when required, including injecting and siphoning off their own natural gas, he said. "It means we can inject gas in the pipeline at Comilla to siphon off at Khulna."