Bangladesh has set strict pre conditions,
including improving trade imbalance and transit rights to Nepal, for allowing
the $1 billion Myanmar- India gas pipeline to pass through its territory.
Dhaka wants India to agree on giving it transit
facility to Nepal, access to hydro-electricity from Nepal and Bhutan and
reduction of trade imbalance for Bangladesh to approve of the tripartite pact on
the gas pipeline.
Bangladesh raised the demands at the first
meeting of the techno-commercial working committee of Myanmar, Bangladesh and
India on building of the 290-km pipeline late February 2005. However ministry of
external affairs has taken a strong exception to inclusion of bilateral issues
in the tripartite treaty.