Dhaka–Chattogram petroleum pipeline set to begin operations tomorrow

The country’s first petroleum pipeline, connecting the port city of Chattogram with the capital Dhaka, will go into operation tomorrow morning, a senior ministry official said today.

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has completed preparations to launch the 250-kilometre underground pipeline on August 16, following its construction by army engineers at a cost of around Tk 3,700 crore. BPC will oversee the operation and maintenance of the system.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Dr. Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan is scheduled to inaugurate the pipeline as chief guest from the Chattogram end at 11am.

Project documents show that previously, transporting oil through tankers caused system losses during loading and unloading, alongside risks of spillage. The new pipeline is expected to greatly reduce such losses and minimize pollution.

The infrastructure includes a 16-inch diameter pipeline spanning 241 kilometres from Patenga to Godnail in Narayanganj, with an additional 10-inch line extending 8.29 kilometres to a depot at Fatullah. The pipeline passes under 22 rivers and canals and is supported by nine pumping stations.

This marks Bangladesh’s second cross-district petroleum pipeline after the Bangladesh-India Maitree Pipeline, which imports diesel from India. BPC is also constructing another line for unloading crude oil directly from the sea.

Officials said that oil transport by tankers from Chattogram to Narayanganj previously took at least 24 hours, whereas the new pipeline will cut the time to just four hours. The project will also generate significant savings: annual transport costs of Tk 326 crore will drop to Tk 90 crore, saving about Tk 226 crore each year.

Besides improving efficiency, the system will prevent pilferage, reduce theft, and eliminate supply disruptions caused by bad weather. The 24th Engineer Construction Brigade of the Bangladesh Army implemented the project, equipping it with a computerized Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for real-time monitoring and control.

The pipeline successfully underwent trial operation on June 24.