The country has only four days of fuel reserves

Uncertainty in supply, crowd at pumps; Government tries alternative shipments to deal with situation

❐ Staff Reporter

Fuel oil reserves in the country have been rapidly depleted. In the current situation, some fuel reserves are only enough to meet four days of demand, according to multiple energy sector sources.

This situation has arisen due to uncertainty in supply in the international market and imported shipments not reaching the country within the stipulated time. This has raised concerns about fuel supply in the transportation, industrial and power generation sectors.

Officials from the Energy Department and related agencies say that the country normally maintains fuel oil reserves to meet the demand for at least two to three weeks. But recently, due to the late arrival of some scheduled shipments, the reserves have been rapidly reduced. As a result, the reserves for some fuels have now come down to just four days.

In this situation, the crowd of customers at petrol pumps in various districts including the capital has started increasing. Many are trying to stock up on fuel in advance, fearing a possible crisis. This has increased the sales pressure at the pumps compared to normal.

To manage the situation, initiatives have been taken to set limits on fuel sales in some areas. Sources said that verbal instructions have been given not to supply more than a certain amount of fuel to private vehicles. Through this, an attempt is being made to control the abnormal demand.

Energy sector officials say that while some fuel-carrying ships were supposed to arrive in the country on time, they have been delayed due to international shipping conditions and supply uncertainties, which has had a direct impact on the stockpiles.

According to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the country has an average daily demand of about 18,000 to 20,000 metric tons of various types of fuel oil. Of this, diesel is the most demanded. Since this fuel is widely used in power generation, transportation and agriculture, the impact of a decrease in diesel stocks is quickly visible.

However, BPC officials say the situation has not reached a critical level. Several new shipments are already on their way to the country. It is expected that the supply situation will return to normal once they reach the port.

Energy experts say that Bangladesh is almost completely dependent on imports for fuel oil. A large part of the country’s total demand has to be imported from abroad. As a result, even a minor disruption in supply in the international market can quickly affect the country’s reserves.

According to them, it is necessary to increase strategic energy reserves to avoid such situations in the future. They also suggested strengthening import systems from multiple sources and emphasizing the extension of long-term supply contracts.

According to energy sector observers, the situation will be manageable if new shipments arrive in the country quickly. However, if the supply delay is prolonged, there is a risk that it will affect the transportation and industrial sectors.