Roadmap ready for methanol export from Assam to Bangladesh

Guwahati: A roadmap to export methanol from Assam Petrochemicals Limited (APL) to Bangladesh has been chalked out during a meeting chaired by state industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary with officials from the neighbouring country and APL here.

“The expansion project of 500 TPD methanol and 200 TPD formaldehyde plant at a total cost of Rs 1337 crore is almost complete and Assam can soon export these chemical products to Bangladesh,” Patowary informed.

After a detailed discussion, both sides agreed that a feasibility study would be conducted and a joint group would be constituted comprising chemical importers from Bangladesh and APL officials.

The importers will visit the APL plant at Namrup to work out the product line and pricing. At the same time, the process of export of methanol will start via the Siliguri route to Bangladesh.

The officials agreed to have a G2G (government to government) intervention for certification of chemical products by an accredited laboratory acceptable to both the countries.

They also agreed to set up a lab testing facility for streamlining the chemical export process between the two countries.

Besides Shah Mohammad Tanvir Monsur, the assistant high commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Sunit KP, Secretary General, Indo-Bangla Council for Commercial and Cultural Collaboration from Bangladesh, was present.

APL was represented by its chairman Bikul Chandra Deka and managing director Rajnesh Gogoi. KK Dwivedi, principal secretary, industries and commerce department, was also present in the meeting.

The meeting was a follow-up deliberation after the recent visit of Bangladesh information and broadcasting minister Hasan Mahmud on February 24 last.

Patowary had then called upon the Bangladesh ministry officials to avail opportunities of potential sectors of Assam such as ethanol, methanol and hydrocarbon to augment trade and business.

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