State Minister for Power and Energy, Anindya Islam Amit, has said there is no fuel shortage in the country and the government has no immediate plan to raise fuel prices.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Tuesday, the state minister said the long queues recently seen at petrol stations were largely driven by public anxiety rather than any disruption to supply.
“There has been no shortage of fuel in the past and there is none now,” he said, adding that the government is making every effort to ensure uninterrupted power and fuel supply during Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr.
According to the minister, most of the queues at petrol stations involve motorcycles and private cars, which primarily use petrol and octane.
He stressed that there is no shortage of these fuels.
Petrol is almost entirely refined domestically in Bangladesh, while most octane is also produced locally, with only a small portion imported. The country is more dependent on imports for diesel and furnace oil.
He said fears that fuel might become scarce or that prices could rise have prompted many consumers to purchase fuel in advance, creating temporary congestion at filling stations.
“So far, no petrol pump has run out of fuel,” he said. “In some places people may have had to wait, but supply has not been interrupted.”
Providing an update on supply logistics, the minister said two vessels carrying about 30,000 tonnes of fuel were scheduled to arrive recently. One has already reached port, while the other is waiting at the outer anchorage and unloading is expected to begin shortly. Another fuel shipment is also expected to arrive on 12 March.
Responding to questions about fuel imports from India, he said Bangladesh receives around 15,000 tonnes of fuel each month under a cross-border pipeline agreement. A significant portion of the monthly supply has already arrived and the remainder is being delivered gradually. The agreement is renewed annually and remains in force.
The minister acknowledged that global energy prices have risen in recent weeks, noting that Brent crude oil had climbed to around $115 a barrel before easing to about $106. While this has put pressure on the economy, he said the government is not currently considering raising fuel or electricity prices.
He added that the government is mindful of public hardship following the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine war, both of which contributed to higher inflation.
“We do not want to increase people’s suffering,” he said. “Considering the economic situation, there is no decision to raise prices for now.”