Bangladesh has approved the purchase of 1.8 lakh tonnes of diesel from Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), strengthening cross-border energy cooperation with India’s Northeast. The fuel will be moved from Assam to Siliguri and supplied to Bangladesh through the Bangladesh–India Friendship Pipeline, operational since December 2022. The decision was approved by the Advisory Committee on Government Purchase at a meeting held in Dhaka yesterday, chaired by Bangladesh’s Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed. The diesel will be imported by the state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), with part of the payment made directly by BPC and the rest financed through bank loans.
Key Aspects of the Diesel Trade:
- Import Details: Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) will import 180,000 tonnes of diesel in 2026, valued at approximately $119.13 million.
- Supplier: The fuel is supplied by the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Assam, part of the IndianOil group.
- Pipeline Details: The India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFPL) connects Siliguri in West Bengal, India, to Parbatipur in northern Bangladesh, facilitating efficient,, cross-border fuel delivery.
- Significance: The 15-year agreement helps meet Bangladesh’s energy needs, supporting economic and political stability through reliable, direct, and cost-effective fuel transfer.
- Operational Background: The pipeline, inaugurated by the leaders of both nations in 2023, strengthens the “Act East” and “Neighborhood First” policies.
