Bangladesh raids recover 87,700L of hoarded fuel amid energy crisis

Bangladesh authorities recovered 87,700 litres of hoarded fuel in a nationwide crackdown amid an energy crisis. India supplied an additional 5,000 tons of diesel, and Dhaka is seeking new import partners to ease the fuel shortage and chaos.

As tensions escalate in West Asia and the Gulf region--impacting energy supplies globally, Dhaka Tribune reported on Tuesday, citing officials, that district administrations across 64 districts recovered 87,700 litres of illegally hoarded fuel in 24 hours.

Crackdown on Illegal Hoarding

As per the Dhaka Tribune, during the drives, 191 cases were filed and fines totalling Tk 935,070 were imposed.

The details were shared by Monir Hossain Chowdhury, spokesperson and joint secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, at a press briefing at the Secretariat.

He said 391 drives were conducted during the period based on reports from district administrations.

It was also reported that seven individuals were sentenced during the operations. One person in Satkhira received a two-month jail term, one in Chandpur was sentenced to one year, and one in Gazipur received one month.

According to Dhaka Tribune, of the recovered fuel, 67,400 litres were diesel, 6,444 litres octane, and 13,856 litres petrol.

Bangladesh Seeks to Secure Fuel Supply

Amid the energy crisis in Bangladesh caused by the conflict in West Asia, India has supplied an additional 5,000 tons of diesel, a senior government official said on Friday night.

"An additional 5,000 tons of diesel have arrived in Bangladesh from India. With this, Bangladesh has now received a total of 15,000 tons of diesel from India in recent times," Md. Murshed Hossain Azad, General Manager (Commercial), Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), told ANI over the phone.

"In the coming month of April, India has proposed to supply 40,000 tons of diesel to Bangladesh. We have officially accepted this proposal," Azad said, without elaborating.

Bangladesh imports diesel primarily from India, Singapore, and the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the Daily Star reported that the government is moving to diversify its fuel imports. It has reached out to Singapore, Malaysia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Angola, Australia and the US for potential fuel and gas supplies. The country is also expecting two additional shipments at around 6,000 tonnes from Indonesia.

Impact on Aviation and Public

Also in March, the price of aviation fuel (jet fuel) was increased for the second time in a month in Bangladesh.

Due to the ongoing conflict in the West Asia, the fuel crisis in Bangladesh has taken on a severe form, especially at various fuel stations, where there are long queues and all sorts of chaotic conditions, with petrol pump owners are also expressing serious concerns. (ANI)

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