BR's failure prompts BPC to ask Indian company to deliver diesel directly

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) is facing a problem with diesel import from India due to the poor capacity of Bangladesh Railway (BR). BPC requested the BR several times to improve its capacity.

After failing to pursue them, the BPC requested the Indian company to deliver the consignment to Parbatipur depot. 

In the event that the Indian company responds positively to the BPC, the BR will lose Tk38 lakh per month. 

The BPC has been importing diesel from India by railway from Shiliguri, India, to Parbatipur via Radhikapur-Birol route since 2016. Indian public company Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) is supplying the oil to Dinajpur’s Biral border and BR carries those from there to Parbatipur. 

The BR has been earning Tk 38 lakh from BPC for the service per month.  

Though the supply is supposed to reach BPC Parbatipur depot by 50 rail carriages, Petroleum Corporation is importing 42 wagons each time as BR engines can’t pull more than this.

Thus BPC cannot import required amount of fuel and its counterpart lags behind from their supply target. 

BPC Director (Operations & Planning) Syed Mehdi Hasan said: “We have discussed the matter with railway. But their response was poor.” 

Diesel is consumed in different sectors including transports, power plants, industries and irrigation.

“They want us to carry 50 wagons of oil while our maximum capacity is only 42 coaches,” said Khandker Shahidul Islam, General Manager (West) of Bangladesh Railway. 

“Bangladesh Railway doesn’t have that long-line and loop-way to accommodate the 50 wagons,” he added.  

In the meantime, BPC and NRL have signed an agreement to set up a pipeline connecting India’s Siliguri to Bangladesh’s northern district Parbatipur to resolve the issue permanently. The project is scheduled to be completed by June, 2021.