Black market activity and corruption are rising as fuel demand spikes amid supply disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku has warned.
Speaking to reporters after visiting a solar power plant in Sirajganj on Friday, he said that despite depots remaining open during the weekly holiday, fuel stations in Dhaka are experiencing shortages of petrol and octane.
The minister alleged that opportunistic groups are exploiting the situation through corrupt practices and black marketing, with reports of such activity emerging across the country.
“Fuel supply is normal, but demand has surged. Stations are now selling in hours what previously took days,” he said.
He added that authorities have been instructed to intensify monitoring and crack down on distribution irregularities.
Meanwhile, the fuel shortage is causing mounting frustration among motorists. Vehicle owners told TIMES of Bangladesh that they faced long queues at pumps and often received less fuel than required.
“Offices will open from Sunday; wasting so much time just to get fuel will create a setback for us,” said Md Zahid, a motorcycle owner waiting at Meghna Filling Station and Service Centre.
Pump operators said the problem began when fuel supply was paused on Thursday due to Independence Day, which disrupted regular distribution.
Although depot operations resumed the next day, deliveries were delayed. As a result, many stations could only sell diesel until around noon, when fresh supplies of petrol and octane finally started arriving.
Some stations received no supply at all. An operator at Purbachal Traders said, “Our stock of octane and petrol ran out on Thursday. We are now operating on a very limited scale, supplying only diesel.”
Operators also blamed a recent surge in consumer demand. They said people have been buying more fuel than usual due to fears of shortages following the outbreak of war in the Middle East on 28 February.
Many customers are filling full tanks instead of buying only what they need, which is putting extra pressure on already limited supplies.
The government, however, says it is supplying more fuel than before.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit on Friday said daily diesel demand used to be around 12,000 tonnes, while petrol and octane demand ranged between 1,200 and 1,400 tonnes.
Ahead of Eid, diesel supply has increased to 24,000–25,000 tonnes per day—almost double.
The minister assured that the government has no plan to raise fuel prices at this time. He said the government is providing a daily subsidy of Tk167 crore to ease public suffering.
“If fuel prices rise, electricity costs, transport fares, and prices of essential goods will also go up, making life harder,” he added.
He also described Iran’s decision to allow Bangladeshi vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as a diplomatic success. According to him, Bangladesh has secured enough fuel supply until April, but public concern remains high due to the sudden rise in demand.
