208,650 litres of oil recovered nationwide, 1,053 cases filed

The government has intensified operations against illegal fuel hoarding across the country. Between March 3 and March 29, a total of 3,168 operations were conducted in 64 districts, recovering 208,650 litres of fuel oil. A total of 1,053 cases were filed, with 16 resulting in prison sentences.

Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Monir Hossain Chowdhury shared this information at a press conference at the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources on Monday, March 30.

The recovered oil includes 139,965 litres of diesel, 22,539 litres of octane, and 46,146 litres of petrol. Additionally, Tk 75.16 lakh in fines has been collected from illegal hoarders.

Regarding the supply situation, he stated that the country has sufficient fuel reserves. At the end of March, there will be a surplus of 133,000 tonnes of diesel. Additionally, two more ships carrying 54,600 tonnes of diesel are expected to arrive in the country on March 30 and April 3. Oil supply through the pipeline from India continues, and new shipments will arrive from China, Indonesia and Singapore.

The spokesperson further said that diesel supply is being ensured on a priority basis to farmers, with distribution according to lists at the upazila level. No complaints of fuel shortage have been received from any district so far.

He said that while temporary pressure was created in some cases due to panic buying and illegal hoarding, overall supply remained normal in March. Ahead of Eid, fuel supply was increased by up to 40 per cent in some areas.

The Energy Division stated that instability in the international market is impacting oil prices. Fuel prices are adjusted monthly in the country, and a proposal for determining next month's prices is under review.

The government has taken initiatives to import oil from new sources outside the Middle East to ensure fuel security. With the temporary easing of US sanctions, there is a plan to import 600,000 tonnes of diesel from Russia over the next two months. Additionally, discussions on imports are ongoing with various countries including India, Indonesia and Singapore.

The possibility of importing fuel from Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Angola, Australia and the United States is also being explored. Meanwhile, discussions with Iran regarding the use and security of the Strait of Hormuz are ongoing, the Energy Division said.