Fuel availability in India monitored as 5,000 tonnes of diesel sent to Bangladesh
Fuel availability in India is being closely monitored as the country begins supplying diesel to Bangladesh through the cross-border India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, Government sources said on Tuesday.
India has started by sending 5,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh via the pipeline, marking the first consignment under a broader annual agreement in which India is committed to supplying 180,000 tonnes of diesel each year. Before the pipeline’s inauguration, fuel transfer relied on railway tankers, making the current arrangement faster and more cost-efficient.
“We have an agreement with India, and according to that agreement, India will supply 180,000 tons of diesel to Bangladesh via the pipeline each year. The 5,000 tons of diesel that is arriving now is part of that agreement,” said Muhammad Rezanur.
“...We hope that within the next two months, we will bring in the total diesel amount for the entire six months,” Rahman said, describing the shipments as part of a structured import plan aimed at stabilising fuel availability in Bangladesh. The pipeline, inaugurated in March 2023 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has become a strategic asset for both countries by cutting transportation costs and delivery times compared with tanker shipments.
“The pumping started at 3:20 pm on Monday. It takes about 44 hours to bring in about 5,000 metric tonnes of diesel. We are pumping about 113 tonnes of oil every hour. Accordingly, the supply is expected to be completed by Wednesday evening,” said Muhammad Morshed Hossain Azad, General Manager of the Commerce and Operations Department at BPC, speaking to the media. The diesel transfer comes amid volatility in global energy markets due to tensions in West Asia involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Officials emphasized that India’s domestic fuel supply remains stable even as these international shipments are underway.
Energy cooperation between the two nations had been under strain following political changes in Bangladesh after the exit of Sheikh Hasina’s Government in August 2024. Despite earlier disruptions to electricity and fuel agreements, the ongoing diesel supply through the Friendship Pipeline reflects continued practical collaboration and strategic alignment between India and Bangladesh in the energy sector.
