Despite tensions, Bangladesh to continue to import diesel from India

DHAKA: Amid tensions between India and Bangladesh over border issues, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has decided to import 130,000 metric tonnes of diesel from India's Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL). A decision in this regard was approved at the BPC board of directors meeting on Sunday, reports Ahsan Tasnim.

This diesel will be imported between Jan and Dec this year and will cost Bangladeshi Taka 1,137 crore, BPC sources said. BPC's refined fuel oil demand this year is 7.4 million metric tonnes. Of this, 4.6 million tonnes is diesel, 80% of which is imported directly. The rest is available from local refineries. BPC regularly imports refined fuel oil from NRL. This oil has been coming by train since Jan 2016.

Earlier, Bangladesh's interim govt had decided to import 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati parboiled rice from India to meet domestic demand.