India Supplies 5,000 Tonnes of Diesel to Bangladesh

India has begun supplying 5,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline, providing relief to the neighboring country amid acute fuel shortages triggered by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

The shipment, which started pumping on Monday from Numaligarh Refinery Limited in Assam, is expected to reach the Parbatipur depot in northwestern Bangladesh's Dinajpur district by Wednesday evening. Officials from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation reported that the consignment is being transported at a rate of about 113 tonnes per hour, taking approximately 44 to 45 hours to complete. This delivery forms part of an existing annual agreement under which India commits to supplying 180,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh via the 131-kilometer pipeline, which links Siliguri in India to Parbatipur. The pipeline, inaugurated in 2023, replaced earlier rail-based transports and has a capacity of up to 200,000 tonnes annually, reducing delivery times and costs for northern Bangladesh's seven districts.

Bangladesh, which imports nearly 95 percent of its oil and gas needs, has faced severe shortages of diesel and...