India Weighs Additional Diesel Supplies: Dhaka's Energy Crisis Intensifies

India is considering an appeal from Bangladesh for additional diesel supplies amid a heightened energy crisis in the latter country. According to government sources, the response will hinge on the current fuel availability and prevailing market conditions, as no decision has been finalized yet on the request for an extra 5,000 tonnes from the Numaligarh Refinery in Assam.

The existing arrangement, where India supplies 1,80,000 tonnes of diesel annually to Bangladesh under the 'India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline,' remains in place, with fuel flows already occurring on a commercial basis. Sources noted that any additional supply would not be immediately aligned with Bangladesh's recent request.

Faced with fuel shortages driven by West Asian supply disruptions, the Bangladeshi government has enacted severe measures such as closing universities and imposing strict fuel sales limits. This comes in response to widespread panic buying at fuel stations, prompting immediate action to manage the dwindling resources more effectively.