Written by The Banking Post
Bangladesh plans to import up to 1.42 million tonnes of refined petroleum products during the first half of 2026 to meet growing domestic fuel demand.
The state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has received bids from international suppliers to purchase various fuels, including 900,000–960,000 tonnes of 0.005% sulfur gasoil (diesel), 180,000–210,000 tonnes of Jet A-1 aviation fuel, 100,000–150,000 tonnes of high-sulfur furnace oil, and 50,000–100,000 tonnes of 95 RON gasoline (octane).
A senior BPC official said the evaluation committee is currently reviewing the offers, adding that imports will be conducted under four separate packages based on product type and volume.
BPC typically procures about half of its refined oil requirements through open tenders and the rest via direct negotiations. In addition, it imports around 1.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually for refining at its subsidiary, Eastern Refinery Ltd.
The corporation also plans to continue importing diesel from India through the India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline — the first cross-border fuel pipeline between the two nations. Diesel from India’s Numaligarh Refinery Ltd has been supplied for over 15 years under a negotiated premium of $5.50 per barrel over the Mean of Platts Arab Gulf gasoil assessment on a cost and freight basis.
Meanwhile, private firms in Bangladesh are expected to import about 1 million tonnes of furnace oil between January and June next year to support power generation and industrial demand.
