Bangladesh has full fuel stock for April, May: State Minister

The government has confirmed that Bangladesh currently has sufficient fuel reserves to meet demand for April and May, while efforts are underway to secure additional stock for June, said State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit.

He made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inspecting the Eastern Refinery Limited in Chattogram on Friday (April 17).

The state minister said the country is currently maintaining the highest fuel reserves in its history. He added that the government is also working to import both refined and crude oil from alternative sources.

Due to a temporary shutdown of refining operations at the Eastern Refinery, the government has increased focus on importing refined fuel, he said, adding that a second unit of the refinery is expected to be operational from 2029.

He stated that all imported fuel for January and February had already arrived in the country, and that Bangladesh has full capacity to meet fuel demand for April and May.

“Preparations are underway to ensure sufficient reserves for June as well,” he said, adding that the government is working continuously to maintain uninterrupted fuel supply.

Regarding refined fuel imports, the minister said initiatives have been taken to import crude oil from countries including Malaysia for processing at the Eastern Refinery.

He also noted that electricity management is currently prioritising the agriculture and industrial sectors due to the global situation, resulting in comparatively lower supply to households. However, he said household supply would be prioritised again from May when the harvest season begins.

Officials present during the visit included Energy Secretary Saiful Islam, Petrobangla Chairman Ehsanul Haque, Joint Secretary Amir Hossain Chowdhury, and Eastern Refinery Managing Director Sharif Hasnat.

Earlier on April 15, Ministry spokesperson and Joint Secretary Monir Hossain Chowdhury said that existing reserves of octane and petrol would be sufficient for the next two months. He added that current stock levels include 113,085 tons of diesel, 31,821 tons of octane, 18,021 tons of petrol, and 77,546 tons of furnace oil.