No fuel shortage in country, two more oil tankers to arrive on 9 March: Energy minister
Bangladesh has no shortage of fuel, and two more fuel-carrying ships are scheduled to arrive at the country's ports on Monday (9 March), Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said today (7 March).
"There is no chance of a fuel shortage, but since a war is ongoing, we have to plan and manage carefully and maintain austerity," he said while speaking to reporters after an hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Tejgaon.
He said the global crisis created by the war in the Middle East has naturally caused concern in the energy sector worldwide.
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"We have briefed the prime minister on the matter. But as I said before and reiterated yesterday, there is no reason to worry about oil," he said.
Tuku said that since it is uncertain how long the war will continue, the government has introduced a limited rationing system as a precautionary measure.
He said, however, many people have become alarmed after hearing about the rationing and have been trying to stockpile extra fuel, which is making the situation more complicated.
"In reality, we have no shortage of oil. Two more vessels will arrive in the country on 9 March. So there is no issue.
"There is no need to rush to buy fuel. We have adequate reserves and we are regularly supplying fuel to petrol pumps. Anyone who goes to a pump to buy fuel will get it. There is also no need to spend the whole night standing in line," he said.
Responding to journalists' questions about reports of some petrol pumps running out of fuel, the minister said the government is supplying fuel in fixed quantities.
"If a pump sells out its allocation quickly, it cannot restock immediately and will have to wait until the next day. However, we are monitoring the situation," he said.
Asked whether any pumps were intentionally withholding fuel to make extra profit, the minister said the matter would be investigated.
"We have regulatory mechanisms. From tomorrow we will deploy mobile courts. All necessary measures have been taken," he said.
When asked whether the limit on fuel purchases for motorcycles would be increased from the current two litres, the minister said there are no plans to raise it for now.
Iqbal Hasan Mahmud added that although Bangladesh currently has sufficient reserves, the government must remain cautious since it is uncertain when the war will end.
"I have said we have reserves. But we do not know when the war will stop. So we must keep our house in order and conserve our resources in advance. That is why this measure has been taken," he said.
On public anxiety, the minister said people sometimes panic despite government assurances.
"Even when the government says there is no problem, people sometimes become anxious. It is a natural human reaction. Many of us tend to store extra goods out of fear that they may not be available later," he said.
Regarding liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply, the minister said Bangladesh primarily imports LNG from Qatar but also has alternative arrangements.
"We are working on those alternatives so that no crisis arises in the future," he said.
"We are trying to collect oil and gas from alternative sources so that no shortage occurs in the coming days. We want to assure the people that there is nothing to panic about. Considering the global situation, we only ask everyone to remain cautious and aware," he said.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit, Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam, and the Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, among others, were present during the briefing
