The India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline under construction at Parbatipur in Dinajpur will ensure power and energy security in the northern region, said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Friday.

After visiting the project area on Friday afternoon, he gave reporters details about the benefits of the pipeline.

The Fellowship Receipt Terminal will be the first modern automatic and computerised system in the country. If something is done in the pipeline on the way or otherwise, the place of automaticity can be identified immediately, he said.

Two and a half to three lakh tonness of diesel will be imported annually from Numanigarh Refinery Station in India to Parbatipur Resort Terminal in Dinajpur through a 131.57-km underground pipeline.

In addition to reducing the cost, it has created a big ring for fuel security. At least 40,000 litres of fuel have been stored at the terminal and depot for two months.

The price of diesel per barrel imported in different ways is $11.50. Because of imports through the pipeline the price will come down to only $ 6.

Read more: Fuel import from India through pipeline to start from 2023: PM

With the import of diesel in Parbatipur, the supply of fuel will be ensured for cultivation for irrigation pumps in the agriculturally dependent northern region and power plant in Saidpur for the production of electricity.

At the end of the 15-year contract, it will either be renewed or run by the government itself.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are scheduled to inaugurate the supply of fuel to the pipeline through video conferencing on March 18.

On September 18, 2018, the two leaders inaugurated the pipeline construction work. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in this regard on April 9 in 2018.