The government is considering introducing a “fuel pass” system to regulate the sale of petrol and octane, as part of efforts to better manage supply amid ongoing energy challenges.
The proposal was disclosed on Monday by Joint Secretary (Operations) of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, Monir Hossain Chowdhury, at a press briefing held at the Secretariat on the overall fuel situation.
He said the initiative would initially target petrol- and octane-powered vehicles, with a dedicated mobile application currently under development to support the system. Pilot implementations are already underway in some districts under the supervision of local administrations.
According to the official, several deputy commissioners (DCs) have begun testing the system on a limited scale. For example, in Thakurgaon, authorities have started issuing fuel passes specifically for motorcycles.
Explaining the mechanism, he said only registered vehicles would be eligible for the pass, effectively excluding unregistered ones and significantly reducing demand. Each pass would specify a fixed quantity of fuel, which would be deducted at filling stations during purchase.
To strengthen oversight, the government has instructed district administrations to appoint “tag officers” for monitoring fuel distribution at filling stations. These officials, drawn from various government offices, will assist in managing operations at selected stations.
Chowdhury noted that while the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) is responsible for importing and supplying fuel, it traditionally has limited involvement in retail-level management. However, the current situation has necessitated closer supervision to ensure smooth distribution and prevent irregularities.
Responding to concerns about the difficulty of obtaining fuel passes from DC offices, he acknowledged the challenge but said district administrations have been relatively successful in implementing targeted measures, particularly for motorcycles.
Highlighting supply dynamics, he said diesel accounts for about 63 percent of total fuel distribution and faces no shortages, whereas octane—despite representing only around 6.08 percent of supply—has seen long queues, suggesting an “artificial” (crisis).
He added that the fuel pass system is still under consideration and would be rolled out in phases, as implementing it across all vehicle types at once would be complex.
The planned app-based system is expected to include QR codes and time-bound usage limits, enabling authorities to track purchases and prevent repeated fuel collection within a short period. A centralised monitoring mechanism may also be introduced.
Further details on the large-scale rollout of the fuel pass system will be announced once a final decision is made, the official added.