BPC’s fuel oil supply disrupted amid shutdown, curfew

The supply of fuel oil has been severely disrupted across the country since Thursday due to complete shutdown enforced by protesting students of quota reform movement and subsequent unrest and curfew.

According to the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the supply of diesel, petrol, and octane was down 70%, while jet fuel supply dropped by 20% since Thursday.

The state-run corporation said despite enough fuel stock in the depots, they were not to supplying fuel due to security concerns. Besides, filling stations are not able buy fuel because banks are closed.

A senior BPC official told The Business Standard that the supply disruption started from Thursday (18 July) when students declared “complete shutdown.”

Supply was completely off on Friday, but the depots were opened due to demand from filling station owners, said the official. Supply was again stopped on Sunday, resumed on Monday, and then halted again yesterday.

These disruptions slashed diesel, petrol, and octane supply by 70% and jet fuel by 20%, added the official, who is involved in BPC’s fuel distribution.

Ahsanur Rahman, Chattogram president of Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers’ Agent and Packet Point Association, told TBS that filling station owners have to buy oil with advance payment.

As banks are closed, fuel buying almost off, he said, adding that 90% fuel stations are in supply crisis, he mentioned.

“However, the crisis hasn’t reached acute level as there are few vehicles on road due to curfew,” added Rahman.

Mustafa Kudrat, general manager (operation) at BPC, said their import lineup is normal and the depots have enough stock.

“Although supply is disrupted, big companies who made advance payments, taking supply when depots open,” he added.

Fuel stations collect gas from 27 depots of Padma Oil, Megna Oil, and Jamuna Oil — the three state-owned fuel distributors, according to the BPC.

The country has 2,300 filling stations, 2,700 agents and distributors, and 669 dealers. Bangladesh’s daily demand for diesel is 15,000 tonnes. The demand for octane and petrol is around 4,000 tonnes.