New Delhi: Bangladesh today (Dec 7, 2004) said it was favourably disposed to allowing a gas pipeline through its territory to carry natural gas from Myanmar to India and would take a decision "very soon" on giving rail transit to India.

Answering a question, visiting Bangladesh Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman told reporters in New Delhi on the sideline of India Economic Summit in Bangladesh that, "We are well disposed towards granting transit to Myanmar-India natural gas pipeline."

Asked what Bangladesh looks forward as a spin-off of the pipeline project India has been pushing for, he said royalty was one of the options Dhaka is looking at. "But these are yet to be discussed between the three countries and a decision could be taken only through negotiations.

He said there could also be a joint venture involving companies of India, Myanmar and Bangladesh for the proposed pipeline.

Rahman, however, ruled out Bangladesh exporting its natural gas to India saying, "We have not even estimated how much exploitable reserves we have and how much will be exportable surplus."

Replying to another question, Rahman said, "We are considering rail transit and a decision on this is expected very soon."

On the question of India's plea for road transit through Bangladesh for carrying goods to and from northeastern parts of India, he said this was not possible right now because of bad road conditions in his country.