Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Affairs Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman stated on Tuesday that Bangladesh’s fuel situation is not in a critical state, despite some supply challenges. Speaking at a press briefing at the Secretariat’s PID conference room, he said that while there are concerns about shortages of petrol and octane, the overall supply has only slightly declined compared to last year. Diesel supply fell from 396,098 metric tons in March 2025 to 363,512 metric tons in March 2026, while octane supply rose slightly to 37,439 metric tons. Petrol supply decreased from 46,371 to 39,998 metric tons.

Dr. Rahman attributed the current situation partly to panic buying and illegal hoarding, noting that some individuals may be stockpiling fuel for resale or smuggling. He reported that 74 operations were conducted in April against illegal fuel storage, resulting in 114 cases and fines totaling 313,000 taka. As of April 6, national reserves stood at 114,122 metric tons of diesel, 10,151 metric tons of octane, and 13,805 metric tons of petrol.

He added that the government continues to bear heavy subsidies in the energy and power sectors, with outstanding dues exceeding 45,000 crore taka, keeping the situation under financial pressure.