Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Dhaka has sought details about the availability of natural gas through the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline for the country before becoming a part of the mega project, officials said.
The energy ministry has sent a letter to the TAPI steering committee through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) seeking detailed information on the available natural gas resources, a senior government official said.
The Manila-based multilateral lending agency ADB has been coordinating the TAPI project.
Bangladesh in its latest letter also inquired about the wheeling charge to carry natural gas from Central Asia to the South Asian country.
It also sought whether any funding arrangement would be available to make up for the costs of joining the mega gas pipeline project, the official added.
He also said the energy ministry also separately assigned the state-owned Gas Transmission Company Ltd to prepare a preliminary technical assessment report on the country's joining the TAPI project.
Bangladesh is keen to be part of the TAPI gas pipeline project to ensure an alternative source of energy to meet its growing fuel demand.
Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India have formally agreed to build the 1,680 km TAPI pipeline to supply the Turkmen natural gas to South Asia.
The $7.8 billion project is expected to come online in 2016-2017.
BBN/SSR/AD-23July12-12:30 pm (BST)
