Benefits of ‘Fuel Card’

The government has planned to introduce ‘Fuel Card’ for all types of vehicles to control the ongoing instability, hoarding and manipulation of fuel in the country. The Energy Department has already started preliminary work to implement this initiative.

Fuel Card is basically a digital payment system, through which petrol, diesel and other fuels can be purchased. It will work like a debit or credit card, but through it, fuel consumption of a specific vehicle can be controlled, cost monitoring and information can be stored centrally.

In the proposed system, separate limits will be set for motorcycles, private cars, buses and trucks. Each card will have a QR code, which can be used to collect fuel from specific filling stations.

According to the government’s plan, through this system—

1. Easy payment: Fuel can be purchased through cards or digital means without cash.

2. Cost control: Fuel consumption will be ensured within the prescribed limit and there will be a digital record.

3. Security: As the card is linked to a specific vehicle, misuse will be reduced.

4. Preventing hoarding: With the accounts on the central server, it will be difficult to collect excess fuel and hoard illegally.

5. Time saving: Since transactions are automated, the hassle of receipts or paperwork will be reduced.

Government officials said that Bangladesh, as an import-dependent country, may face great pressure due to global instability. In addition, there are allegations that some unscrupulous groups are creating an artificial crisis by hoarding fuel.

Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said that although the fuel supply in the country is normal, the pumps are running out of fuel quickly due to a sudden increase in demand. The government believes that the fuel card system can be an effective solution to deal with this situation.

The Energy Ministry says that it will take some time to implement the entire system. However, if it is introduced, it is expected to increase transparency in the sector and reduce waste and manipulation.