India says reviewing Bangladesh’s request for additional diesel supply

India has said it has received a request from Bangladesh for diesel supplies, and a decision on this will be taken after factoring in the domestic availability and requirements of the product and refining capacity.

Answering a question on Bangladesh's letter to India during the weekly media briefing in New Delhi today (12 March), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said that India has been supplying diesel to Bangladesh since 2007 through rail and waterways.

In 2017, the two countries signed an agreement on mutual terms for supplying high-speed diesel through a cross-border pipeline from the Numaligarh Refining plant in Assam to the Parbatipur depot in Dinajpur, he said.

"Given our people-centric and development-oriented approach to relations with Bangladesh, India is examining Dhaka's latest request for diesel supplies," Jaiswal said.

He said while considering the request, they will "have to factor in India's diesel refining capacity, availability and requirement at home in taking a decision."

Amid concerns over a potential fuel shortage due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, India sent 5,000 tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh through the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline last Tuesday and Wednesday.

The pipeline runs about 131 kilometres from the Siliguri Marketing Terminal in India to the Parbatipur depot in Dinajpur, enabling direct transportation of diesel between the two countries. It has the capacity to transport around 200,000 tonnes of diesel annually.

Jaiswal said India has also received similar requests from Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

To a question about the arrest of two Bangladeshi nationals, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, prime suspects in Inquilab Mancha spokesman Sharif Osman Hadi's murder case, and Dhaka's plea for consular access to the apprehended duo, Jaiswal said, "It is a matter which is under investigation, and it won't be appropriate for me to comment on."

Jaiswal also confirmed that Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Director General Maj Gen Mohammad Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury's visit to Delhi and his meetings with Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) Chief Parag Jain and Lt Gen RS Raman, the director general of Indian military intelligence (DGMI).

"Yes, he [Kaiser] was here on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue and has had conversations with his interlocutors," the MEA spokesman said.

India's West Bengal Police Special Task Force (STF) recently arrested Faisal and Alamgir, the main suspects in Osman Hadi's killing back in December last year.

The duo were arrested near the Bongaon border area for illegally entering and staying in India, Indian news agency ANI reported on 8 March, citing a press statement of STF.

The next day, Bangladesh sought consular access to the two arrestees. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said further steps would be taken following due process once Bangladesh receives feedback from the Indian side.