Bangladesh government keeps retail prices of key petroleum products unchanged despite steep rises in global oil prices amid Mideast mayhem and claim by pump owners and marketers that they have enough stock.
Meanwhile, the government Tuesday approved emergency purchase of fuel oils to bolster national energy security with fresh refill of the stock, urging members of the public not to worry or go for panic buy.
As a section of traders hoarded fuel oils to make a killing on the alleged manipulated market, joint forces in drives continue recovering thousands of liters of fuel oils.
According to a notification issued Tuesday by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD), diesel, kerosene, petrol and octane will continue to sell at Tk 100, Tk 112, Tk 116 and Tk 120 per litre respectively in April.
The decision comes as international oil benchmarks remain volatile, though officials emphasised that domestic supply chains remained stable.
At a separate press briefing, EMRD Joint Secretary Monir Hossain Chowdhury revealed that the country had a stock of 192,919 tonnes of petroleum products as of March 30.
Of the total, 128,939 tonnes are diesel, 7,940 tonnes octane, 11,431 tonnes petrol and 44,609 tonnes jet fuel.
"The current reserves are sufficient to meet demand for 15-16 days," he said, adding that there is no shortage of diesel while an additional 150,000 tonnes of diesel is scheduled to arrive in April.
Diesel alone accounts for around 63 per cent of the country's total fuel consumption-it is mainly used in irrigation and public transport, he said.
The government is also considering energy-saving measures, including extending weekly holidays and reducing office hours, said the EMRD official.
Meanwhile, the education ministry, at an emergency meeting Tuesday, decided to introduce online classes at least three days a week in educational institutions, sources said.
The cabinet committee is expected to review and finalise the decision tomorrow (Thursday) before implementing the measure.
Parallel to policy adjustments, authorities have intensified drives against illegal fuel storage and black-market sales. Within the past 24 hours, district administrations across all 64 districts had seized 87,700 litres of illegally hoarded fuel through 391 raids, according to the EMRD.
A total of 191 cases were filed and fines totalling Tk 935,070 were imposed during the operations.
Magistrates also handed down sentences in several districts: one person in Chandpur received a one-year prison term, while one person in Satkhira got two-month term and another in Gazipur jailed for one month.
Mobile courts also carried out operations in Dhaka's Uttara embankment, Gabtoli and Amin Bazar, among other areas. At Uttara, authorities found open roadside fuel sales, but vendors fled upon seeing court vehicles.
In line with earlier directives, Tag Officers have been appointed at all petrol pumps nationwide to monitor fuel sales.
In Dhaka and Chattogram metropolitan areas, the state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has deployed its own officers, while district commissioners and UpazilaNirbahi Officers have appointed officers in other areas.
According to official data, 479 Tag Officers have been appointed in 13 districts under Dhaka division, 330 in 11 districts of Chattogram division, 340 in eight districts of Rajshahi Division, 301 in 10 districts of Khulna Division, 356 in eight districts of Rangpur Division, 61 in six districts of Barishal Division, 104 in four districts of Mymensingh Division and 135 in four districts of Sylhet Division.
Additionally, 116 officers have been deployed in Dhaka metropolitan area and 62 in Chattogram metropolitan area.
Also on Tuesday, the government approved an emergency procurement of 0.26 million tonnes of diesel and crude oil from the international market to build up its reserve amid the prevailing Gulf crisis.
The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) gave its nod to four procurement proposals, including the direct purchase of diesel and crude oil, at its meeting on the day in lockstep with numerous fuel-security measures.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury presided over the meeting.
The move is designed to bolster the country's energy reserves and ensure uninterrupted domestic supply as geopolitical instability in the Middle East continues to threaten global energy markets, according to officials at the Ministry of Finance.
Before the CCGP meeting, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) also approved three separate proposals for the direct purchase of oils.
To mitigate potential shortages caused by the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States-Israel axis, the committee approved three major import proposals utilising both Direct Purchase Methods (DPM) and Government-to-Government (G-to-G) frameworks, they said.
As per the proposals, a total of 0.1 million tonnes of crude oil will be imported from Abeer Trade & Global Markets through a direct purchase method to meet immediate refining needs.
Another 0.1 million tonnes of EN590-10 PPM Sulfur Diesel will be imported from the EXXON MOBIL KAZAKHSTAN INC. (EMKI) via direct purchase, according to the decision.
Some 60,000 tonnes of 0.5-per cent Sulfur Gas Oil will be procured from Indonesia's state-listed firm, PT BumiSiakPusakoZapin (BSP Zapin), under a G-to-G agreement.
Meanwhile, the CCGP endorsed a variation proposal of the Kulaura-Shahbajpur railway line construction and rehabilitation project at a revised cost of Tk 5.46 billion.
The MoF officials emphasised that the "fast-track" approach is essential for economic continuity as the ongoing West Asia crisis has increased the vulnerability of international supply chains.
"In the current global context, maintaining adequate fuel reserves is not merely a choice but a necessity for our industrial and transport sectors," a senior MoF official said after the meeting. The latest approval came in the wake of declining fuel imports in the first quarter of 2026 due to shipping delays and regional conflict.
By diversifying suppliers--ranging from Kazakhstan to Indonesia--the government aims to safeguard the domestic economy from price volatility and supply disruptions in the Gulf region.
Reaffirming government position on fuel supplies, Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petrol Pump Owners Association said on the day that there is no actual shortage of fuel oils in the country, and the government is supplying oil regularly.
However, an "artificial crisis" is being created on the market due to some hoarders, claimed the association at a press briefing.
Leaders of the organisation stated that pressure is being created on the supply system in many places due to the purchase of excess oil out of rumour and panic, as well as illegal hoarding.
So, they have urged the people not to panic and to collect oil by following the rules.
The association, a faction of Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association, made these claims during the emergency press conference organised at the organisation's office in Gulfesha Plaza, Moghbazar, in the capital.
Syed Sajjadul Karim Kabul, convener of the association, said many people involved in motorcycle ride-sharing are currently standing in long queues in front of petrol pumps to collect oil instead of transporting passengers.
"Later, they are selling that petrol or octane at higher prices in the open market or hoarding it in bottles. Due to such activities, the demand for oil has increased abnormally," he said.
He mentions that the government has been supplying oil in proportion to previous demand and is continuing to supply it in the same way now.
However, as customer demand has increased two to three times, pressure is being created in many places. "Even raids on houses have found evidence of oil hoarding, which has been published in various media outlets," he added.
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