Dhaka, March 18 -- Bangladesh and India have inaugurated a 131-km pipeline to supply fuel oil from Siliguri to Dinajpur's Parbatipur.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi opened the operation of the pipeline on Saturday through a virtual event.

"The pipeline will reduce the cost of diesel imports and time and will help ensure energy security," Hasina said in her speech, thanking India for assistance for the pipeline.

"A new chapter has begun today in India-Bangladesh relations," Modi said.

ABM Azad, chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, said several successful test runs had been conducted to prepare for the inauguration.

Officials of Meghna Petroleum, which has implemented the project, said th...