India has begun supplying diesel to Bangladesh through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline as the neighbouring country faces a severe fuel shortage triggered by disruptions in global oil supplies amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
According to officials from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), around 5,000 tonnes of diesel are being transported from the Numaligarh Refinery in Assam to the Parbatipur depot in Dinajpur district of northern Bangladesh. The shipment is expected to arrive within about 44 hours of pumping, which started on Monday afternoon.
BPC Chairman Muhammad Rezanur Rahman confirmed that the shipment is part of a long-term agreement between India and Bangladesh under which India will supply about 180,000 tonnes of diesel annually through the pipeline.
He said the current delivery is the first instalment of the supply plan, and Bangladesh expects to receive around 90,000 tonnes over the next six months to help stabilise fuel availability in the country.
Strategic role of the Friendship Pipeline
The Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline, inaugurated in March 2023 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, connects the Numaligarh refinery with Bangladesh’s Parbatipur fuel depot.
Before the pipeline was operational, diesel shipments between the two countries were transported primarily through railway tankers, which were slower and more expensive.
Officials say the pipeline has significantly reduced transportation costs and improved the speed of fuel delivery between the two neighbours.
Bangladesh’s fuel crisis
Bangladesh is currently facing a growing fuel shortage due to global supply disruptions linked to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. The crisis has affected oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes.
Since Bangladesh imports nearly 95% of its fuel, any disturbance in international oil supply chains has a major impact on domestic availability.
Reports from the country indicate long queues at petrol pumps, rationing of fuel, and restrictions on fuel sales, with authorities limiting petrol purchases to 10 litres for motorcycles and 40 litres for cars in some areas.
Energy ties between India and Bangladesh
Energy cooperation between the two nations faced uncertainty after the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024 and the subsequent review of several bilateral energy agreements by the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus.
During that period, electricity imports from India, including supplies from Adani’s Jharkhand power plant, were reduced and several cross-border energy projects slowed.
However, with political changes in Dhaka and improved diplomatic engagement, the diesel supply initiative is being seen as a positive step toward restoring energy cooperation between the two countries.
For Bangladesh, India remains a crucial partner in ensuring energy security due to geographic proximity and established infrastructure such as the Friendship Pipeline.
Originally published on 24×7-news.com.
