NEW DELHI, Oct 18 (BDNEWS): The Prime Minister's Office in New Delhi is yet to give decision on Dhaka's condition to participating in the Myanmar-Bangladesh-India gas pipeline project despite eagerness of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry about the scheme. Officials concerned said the ministry, after much hyped Dhaka visit of Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, had sent a proposal to the PMO on the tri-nation gas pipeline and the condition imposed by Dhaka. The PMO referred the matter to the commerce ministry, they said. Officials in the energy sector in New Delhi claimed that Dhaka has put only one condition - reducing trade gap between Bangladesh and India - in exchange of allowing gas pipeline through its territory. They claimed during Aiyar's Dhaka visit, Bangladesh withdrew the conditions of Indian corridor for bilateral trade with Bhutan and Nepal and bringing electricity from the two Himalayan kingdoms. However, a top official of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry said: "We are now facing opposition from the External Affairs and Commerce Ministries. The Indian government, particularly foreign ministry has been dreaming of importing natural gas from Iran at a rate of four US dollars."
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