Bangladesh to import 1.8 lakh tonnes of diesel from India under NRL deal

Dhaka: Bangladesh will import 180,000 tons of diesel from India between January and December 2026. This decision was made by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. For this, Bangladesh has signed an agreement worth 146.2 million Taka with Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a subsidiary of Oil India Limited. Significantly, the Bangladeshi state-owned company Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) will bear a portion of the import cost, while the rest will be financed through bank loans. Bangladesh had previously announced its intention to buy rice from India.

Bangladesh Government Approves Purchase

The Bangladeshi government's advisory committee on public procurement held a meeting at the Secretariat on Tuesday, chaired by Finance Advisor Salehuddin Ahmed. The proposal to purchase diesel from India's Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) was approved at this meeting. Earlier, on October 22, the advisory committee on economic affairs had given in-principle approval for the import of refined fuel oil for the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation in 2026. Under that decision, the procurement committee has now finalized the proposal to purchase diesel specifically from NRL.

Price of Diesel to be Sold to Bangladesh

According to Bangladeshi media reports, the price of the diesel was determined through negotiations with Numaligarh Refinery Limited. After the meeting, the Bangladeshi interim government stated that the cost of 180,000 tons of diesel has been fixed at US$119.133216 million, or approximately 146.2 million Taka in Bangladeshi currency. In this deal, the base price of diesel has been set at US$83.22 per barrel. The base price is determined according to international market rates and is subject to change based on import contracts and fluctuations in the global market.

How will the diesel reach Bangladesh from Assam?

Numaligarh Refinery Limited is located in Assam. The diesel destined for Bangladesh will be transported from this refinery in Assam to the refinery's marketing terminal in Siliguri, West Bengal. From the terminal, the diesel will be sent to the Parbatipur depot of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation. To facilitate fuel transport and reduce costs, the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline has been constructed between the two countries. The diesel will be transported to Bangladesh through this pipeline.