National, March 10: India has started supplying 5,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh through a cross-border pipeline to help the neighbouring country address an ongoing fuel shortage, officials said on Monday.
The diesel is being transported through the pipeline linking India and Bangladesh. Confirming the development, Muhammad Rezanur Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, said the shipment forms part of an existing bilateral agreement between the two countries. Under the arrangement, India will supply 180,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh annually through the pipeline.
Rahman said the current consignment of 5,000 tonnes is part of that agreement, adding that Bangladesh plans to import around 90,000 tonnes of diesel within six months, with 5,000 tonnes arriving each month. Officials said the steady supply is expected to help stabilise fuel availability in the country over the coming months.
The development comes as Bangladeshi authorities investigate alleged irregularities in the domestic fuel market. The government recently carried out inspections at fuel depots after reports suggested that some traders were stockpiling diesel illegally to create an artificial shortage.
In a statement, the government said certain traders had been hoarding fuel stocks beyond the permitted limit in an attempt to manipulate prices and disrupt normal supply. To counter the situation, authorities have fixed maximum fuel stock limits based on vehicle categories. While sales within the approved limits will not face restrictions, excess stocks kept for profit will be treated as illegal.
Officials added that tenders are also being floated to allow fuel imports through the open market in order to strengthen supply. As part of enforcement measures, mobile courts have been deployed in several areas to inspect filling stations and check for illegal hoarding. Among the outlets inspected during the drive were City Filling Station at Tejgaon Dakhla and Clean Fuel Tejgaon.
Authorities said such operations will continue and warned that strict action will be taken against any violation of fuel storage regulations.
