A shipment of 5,000 tonnes of diesel from India’s Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) has started reaching the Parbatipur Depot in Dinajpur through the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline.
Pumping of the fuel began on Monday afternoon, March 9, and the entire consignment is expected to be delivered to the depot’s storage tanks by Wednesday, March 11, according to sources at the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).
BPC Chairman Muhammad Rezanur Rahman confirmed the development, saying the shipment is part of a long-term arrangement under which India will supply up to 180,000 metric tonnes of low-sulphur diesel to Bangladesh in 2026.
The 131-kilometre Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline connects NRL’s Siliguri Marketing Terminal in West Bengal with the Parbatipur Depot in Dinajpur. The pipeline became operational in late 2022 and was formally inaugurated in 2023, replacing earlier rail-based transport.
Officials say the pipeline has significantly reduced transport costs, delivery time and risks associated with rail or road disruptions, ensuring a more reliable fuel supply.
The project stems from a 15-year government-to-government agreement signed on October 22, 2017, aimed at ensuring an uninterrupted diesel supply to agriculture-dependent northern districts, including Dinajpur and several surrounding areas.
Under the agreement, diesel prices are determined based on international benchmarks plus a fixed premium. The estimated cost of importing up to 180,000 metric tonnes of diesel in 2026 is around Tk 1,462 crore (about $119 million). BPC will finance part of the import through its own funds, with the remainder arranged through bank loans.
Pipeline deliveries in recent years have steadily increased. Supplies amounted to about 35,718 tonnes in 2023, 28,204 tonnes in 2024, and 124,216 tonnes in 2025.
Amid volatility in global fuel markets – partly linked to disruptions in the Middle East – BPC has also proposed importing an additional 50,000 tonnes of diesel over the next four months through the same pipeline. Indian authorities are currently reviewing the request, considering domestic stock levels and production capacity at the Numaligarh refinery.
Officials say the latest delivery will help maintain adequate fuel reserves for power generation, transport, agriculture and industrial activities in northern Bangladesh, highlighting continued energy cooperation between Dhaka and New Delhi.