Staff Correspondent
Dhaka, Jan 7, 2026
The government of Bangladesh has approved the import of 180,000 tonnes of diesel from India at an estimated cost of nearly Tk 14.62 billion to ensure a stable fuel supply.
The diesel will be imported from Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a state-owned Indian company.
The approval was given on Tuesday by the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase during a meeting at the Secretariat, chaired by Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed.
Under the decision, Bangladesh will import the diesel between January and December.
According to official sources, the total import cost is around USD 119.13 million, equivalent to approximately Tk 14.61 billion.
A portion of the payment will be made by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), while the remaining amount will be financed through bank loans.
The import follows policy approval granted on October 22 by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for refined fuel purchases in 2026.
Based on that approval, the government has now finalized NRL as the supplier.
Officials said the price was determined through negotiations with NRL, a subsidiary of Oil India Limited.
The agreement sets a premium of USD 5.50 per barrel, with a base price of USD 83.22 per barrel.
The base price is linked to international market rates and may change depending on global price fluctuations.
After the meeting, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan told reporters that the diesel is being imported under a 15-year long-term agreement.
He said the agreement was signed by a previous government and is being continued by the current administration.
In January last year, the government approved the import of 130,000 tonnes of diesel from NRL at the same premium rate.
NRL’s refinery is located in Assam, India.
Diesel is transported to NRL’s marketing terminal in Siliguri, West Bengal, before entering Bangladesh through BPC’s Parbatipur depot.
Previously, the fuel was transported by rail.
Since the completion of the Bangladesh–India Friendship Pipeline in December 2022, diesel has been supplied through the pipeline.
The 130-kilometre pipeline was built with Indian funding and became operational in 2023.
NRL also opened a liaison office in Dhaka in March 2024 to support coordination.
According to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, NRL recorded a turnover of Tk 251.47 billion in the 2023–24 fiscal year.
Under the bilateral agreement, Bangladesh will gradually receive larger volumes of fuel, reaching up to one million tonnes annually.
However, environmental concerns have been raised against NRL in India.
Environmental activists have alleged that untreated petroleum waste was discharged into the Dhansiri River.
India’s National Green Tribunal has taken suo motu notice of the issue, and the case remains under trial.
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