An uncertainty looms over Dhaka's negotiations with New Delhi and Yangon for the proposed trans- Myanmar gas pipeline project, which will run through Bangladesh, due to an unprecedented delay in devising strategies.
Most of the related government agencies of the country have failed to submit their opinions, sought for preparation of the government strategy, within a set time frame to the energy ministry, The Financial Express reported Friday.
The inter-ministerial meeting that was held last May, asked the concerned agencies - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Power - to submit their respective opinions within a week.
Only one agency has submitted their opinions even after two weeks of the instruction.
The government reportedly needs to devise its own negotiating strategies to avail itself of maximum benefit from a proposed trans-Myanmar gas pipeline project that will run through Bangladesh territory.
Without preparing a well-thought out strategy, the authority finds itself in a difficult situation to invite Indian Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar to discuss the three conditions, which have been tagged by Bangladesh government with the proposed cross- border pipeline project.
The conditions are: Providing Bangladesh transit facility for import of hydro-electricity from Nepal and Bhutan, and trade with the two countries as well as reducing trade imbalance between Dhaka and New Delhi.
As per the proposal, the pipeline is expected to run through Arakan State in Myanmar via the Indian states of Mizoran and Tripura before crossing Bangladesh to Kolkata.
The 897 kilometer pipeline will cost US$1 billion. this includes involvement of US$350 million for Bangladesh part of the pipeline. Bangladesh is expected to earn US$125 million annually as transit fee from both the countries.
Energy ministers of Bangladesh, India and Myanmar held a meeting on the gas pipeline in Yangon on January 12-13 last. During the meeting, India requested Bangladesh to place specific proposals in this regard.