India has started supplying around 5,000 metric tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh through the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline (BIFP), as global oil markets face disruption from Middle East tensions.
The fuel was pumped on Monday from Numaligarh Refinery in Assam and is expected to reach Dinajpur in about 44 hours, according to India’s state-run Doordarshan News.
The BIFP, inaugurated in 2023, was built to transport imported fuel efficiently and reduce costs for Bangladesh. The country lacks significant strategic oil reserves, relying on limited operational storage and immediate imports.
New Delhi is set to supply Dhaka with 180,000 tonnes of diesel through the pipeline, following Dhaka’s reported request for additional supplies from India.
Authorities in Bangladesh have ordered nationwide school closures and implemented fuel rationing to conserve resources, amid long queues at gas stations.
Regional tensions escalated since Israel and the US launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28, which have killed more than 1200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and several Gulf countries hosting US military assets.
Iran also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz on February 28. The strategic waterway normally handles about 20 million barrels of oil shipments daily and roughly 20 percent of the global liquefied natural gas trade.
