India to route petroleum products through Bangladesh

Dhaka, August 18 (IANS): Bangladesh on Thursday inked a short-term route permit agreement to allow India transport petroleum products from the northeastern state of Assam to Tripura through Bangladesh in the wake of floods that have drastically damaged Indian roads.   The MoU was signed following India's request to Bangladesh in this regard. Trucks carrying petroleum products will ply on the Dawki (Meghalaya)-Tamabil (Bangladesh)-Chatlapur (Bangladesh)-Kailasahar (Tripura) route, the Daily Star reported.   The short-term deal is valid till September 30. "Based on the request by the Government of India, the Bangladesh authorities have granted permission for the movement of petroleum goods on humanitarian grounds through the territory of Bangladesh till September 2016," the High Commission of India here said in a statement.   The Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), a Public sector unit under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of the Government of India, and the Roads and Highways Department of the Government of Bangladesh (RHD) signed the deal.

  The MoU will facilitate India to carry petroleum goods (Motor Spirit, High Speed Diesel, Superior Kerosene Oil & Liquefied Petroleum Gas) from Assam to Tripura through Bangladesh territory.   India and Bangladesh have allowed each other to use their respective territories to transfer goods from one place to another and to a third country in the past in addition to the existing transit and transhipment deals arrangements.