Bangladesh is facing an escalating fuel crisis despite official claims of normal supply. Long queues at fuel stations, halted river transport, and disruptions in industrial production have become widespread. The country’s only refinery, Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL), is running at reduced capacity due to a lack of crude oil, with current reserves expected to last only until mid-April. The refinery has not received new crude shipments since mid-February, as scheduled vessels from the Middle East were delayed by regional conflict.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) maintains that supply levels match those of the previous year and attributes visible shortages to panic buying and black-market activity. However, Customs data contradict BPC’s claims, showing a sharp decline in fuel imports since early 2026. Between March 2025 and March 2026, total imports by major state-run oil companies fell by over 65,000 tons. Most vessels arriving at Chattogram port in recent weeks carried gas-based fuels rather than liquid oil, further straining supply.

Officials warn that if new crude shipments do not arrive soon, ERL may face a temporary shutdown, potentially worsening the national fuel shortage.

Global oil prices rose sharply following a televised address by U.S. President Donald Trump, in which he pledged to continue the war with Iran and threatened to bomb Iranian power plants. Within minutes of his remarks, the benchmark Brent crude price climbed more than 4 percent to exceed 105 dollars per barrel, while U.S. benchmark WTI rose over 3 percent to surpass 103 dollars per barrel.

The conflict began more than a month ago, during which Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply. This closure has triggered a global energy crisis and driven fuel prices sharply higher, with U.S. gasoline prices surpassing 4 dollars per gallon. Despite the economic impact, Trump downplayed the significance of the disruption in his speech, asserting that the United States does not need the strait and suggesting that its allies should take responsibility for securing access.

The continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and rising oil prices indicate sustained pressure on global energy markets if the conflict persists.

Fuel pump owners and workers in Sylhet division withdrew their indefinite strike around 3 a.m. on Thursday, April 2, 2026. The strike, called late Wednesday night by the Sylhet divisional committee of the Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distribution Agents and Petroleum Owners Association, had shut down all petrol pumps and CNG refueling stations. The withdrawal was confirmed by the committee’s spokesperson, who said pumps were reopening gradually and normal operations were expected by 10 a.m.

The strike had been launched in protest against mobile court fines and alleged extortion. Truck drivers who had blocked the Sylhet–Dhaka highway over similar grievances also ended their blockade after discussions with police officials. The highway had been paralyzed for several hours, causing long traffic jams.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury said the situation normalized within two hours and that a meeting would be held the next morning with the divisional and district administrations to seek a permanent solution to the disputes.

India is facing a worsening currency crisis as the rupee continues to weaken amid the ongoing Iran war and surging oil prices. The rupee, which fell 5 percent in 2025, has already lost another 5.5 percent since January 2026, making it Asia’s worst-performing currency. Analysts warn that if the conflict persists, the rupee could fall to between 95 and 100 per US dollar. The Reserve Bank of India has been selling large amounts of dollars to stabilize the currency, but results remain limited.

High oil prices, now above 100 dollars per barrel, have increased India’s monthly import bill by about 5 billion dollars. Economists say the pressure on the rupee could become a major political challenge for the Modi government. The situation has also affected banking stocks, with State Bank of India shares dropping 4 percent. Officials maintain that foreign reserves are sufficient for 11 months of imports, but analysts caution that sustainability depends on global energy and geopolitical conditions.

Experts note that structural weaknesses, including a persistent trade deficit and limited manufacturing growth, have amplified the impact of the crisis, highlighting the gap between government rhetoric and economic reality.

Bangladesh’s Annual Development Programme (ADP) implementation rate increased marginally in the first eight months of the 2025–26 fiscal year, though total financial expenditure fell. According to the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) report released on Wednesday, 30.31 percent of the revised ADP was implemented between July and February, amounting to Tk 63,327.53 crore. This figure is Tk 4,225.68 crore lower than the same period last year, raising concerns about project execution capacity despite the higher implementation rate.

The revised ADP allocation for 2025–26 totals Tk 2,08,935.53 crore across 1,333 projects. February alone saw spending of Tk 12,771.23 crore, or 6.11 percent of the total allocation, compared with Tk 7,676.33 crore in the same month of the previous fiscal year. Historical data show a gradual decline in implementation efficiency over recent years, from 38.60 percent in 2021–22 to 29.87 percent in 2024–25.

Several ministries and divisions spent less than 15 percent of their allocations, with the Public Security Division at just 3.79 percent. In contrast, the Ministry of Science and Technology led with 70.74 percent expenditure, followed by the Cabinet Division, Food Ministry, Public Service Commission Secretariat, and Foreign Ministry.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman informed the National Parliament that Bangladesh is in the process of signing agreements with seven countries to recover an estimated 234 billion US dollars allegedly laundered abroad during the previous Awami League government. He said the government is strengthening information exchange, asset identification, and mutual legal assistance with the concerned nations to retrieve the funds.

According to the Prime Minister, ten countries have been identified as destinations for the laundered money, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong-China. Agreements with Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the UAE have already received consent, while deals with the remaining seven are under process. A task force led by the Bangladesh Bank governor is overseeing recovery efforts, with 11 joint investigation teams working on priority cases.

Rahman added that assets worth about 704.46 billion taka have been seized domestically and abroad, and 141 cases have been filed, with six verdicts delivered so far. The government has prioritized asset recovery as part of its broader anti-corruption and anti-money laundering strategy.

Authorities in Nesarabad upazila of Pirojpur conducted a mobile raid on April 1, 2026, seizing around 3,000 liters of diesel and kerosene allegedly stored illegally. The operation, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Amit Dutta and based on NSI intelligence, took place at Mahamudkathi Bazar under Atghar Kuriana Union. The seized fuel was found in a warehouse belonging to Messrs. Nantu Talukdar, who lacked valid documents for fuel sales. The individual was fined 10,000 taka, and the confiscated fuel will be sold under administrative supervision with proceeds deposited into the government treasury.

The raid followed reports in the newspaper Amar Desh highlighting a severe diesel shortage affecting IRRI-Boro rice cultivation and causing hardship for farmers. Complaints had also surfaced about fuel being sold at prices higher than government rates. Officials stated that such drives would continue and that strict legal action would be taken against those hoarding fuel or destabilizing the market.

The operation reflects ongoing administrative efforts to address fuel hoarding and stabilize supply during the reported diesel shortage.

The scheduled fuel loading for the first unit of Bangladesh’s Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will not begin on April 7 as planned. Project Director Dr. Md. Kabir Hossain confirmed the delay, citing the absence of a commissioning license from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA). The Ministry of Science and Technology stated that required documents are still under review, and a new schedule will be announced once approval is granted.

Earlier, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury had announced that fuel loading would start on April 7, with test power supply to the national grid expected by June or July. However, the licensing delay has made that timeline uncertain. Project officials explained that fuel loading takes about one month, followed by two months to initiate chain reactions, and nearly a year to reach full power generation.

Officials remain optimistic that fuel loading could begin by the end of the month. The delay has raised concerns about meeting the original production targets of 300 megawatts by July and 1,200 megawatts by December.

Bangladesh achieved a historic milestone in March 2026 as remittance inflows reached 3.75 billion US dollars, the highest monthly total since independence. According to the latest Bangladesh Bank report released on April 1, the figure surpassed the previous record of 3.29 billion dollars set in March 2025. The strong inflow was attributed to increased remittance activity during Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr.

Data from Bangladesh Bank show that over 640 million dollars came through state-owned banks, while specialized banks contributed 464.7 million dollars, private banks handled 2.64 billion dollars, and foreign banks processed 1.2 million dollars. However, seven banks, including Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank, ICB Islamic Bank, and Padma Bank, reported no remittance inflows during the month.

The record-breaking remittance performance highlights the continued contribution of expatriate Bangladeshis to the national economy and marks a significant year-on-year growth in foreign currency inflows.

After three consecutive days of decline, both of Bangladesh’s stock exchanges saw a strong rebound on Wednesday. The main index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), the DSEX, rose by 94 points to close at 5,272. The DSE Shariah Index gained 12 points to reach 1,065, and the DSE-30 Index increased by 41 points to 2,001. Trading volume also crossed 7 billion taka, marking a notable rise from the previous session.

A total of 327 issues advanced on the DSE, while 39 declined and 25 remained unchanged. Among them, 186 ‘A’ category, 64 ‘B’ category, and 77 ‘Z’ category companies saw price increases. Mutual funds also performed positively, with 32 funds gaining and none losing value. Summit Orion Infusion led the day’s trading with shares worth 2.28 billion taka, followed by Summit Alliance Port and Khan Brothers PP Woven Bag.

At the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the CASPI index rose by 200 points, with 133 gainers and 43 losers. The overall market sentiment remained positive across both exchanges.

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan announced that even if five taka is collected in excess as advance income tax, it will be refunded. He stated that a pilot program for automating the income tax refund process is currently underway. Once completed successfully, any excess tax paid will automatically be returned to taxpayers’ accounts. He also mentioned that an automatic refund system has already been introduced for VAT.

Speaking at a pre-budget discussion with various stakeholders on Wednesday, the NBR chairman said that while tax refunds are celebrated globally, Bangladesh previously lacked such a system. The new initiative aims to ensure that taxpayers who pay more in advance income tax than required will receive the excess amount back.

The government deducts advance income tax at source from individuals and institutions at varying rates. At the end of the year, if the deducted amount exceeds the actual tax liability, the excess will be refunded; if less, the remaining amount must be paid.

Crude oil prices dropped below $100 per barrel on April 1, 2026, as optimism grew over easing tensions in the conflict involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. The international benchmark Brent crude fell 4.7 percent to $99.05 per barrel, while the U.S. standard WTI declined 4 percent to $97.33 per barrel. The decline in oil prices coincided with a notable rise in Asian stock markets.

South Korea’s KOSPI index rebounded by 8.4 percent after earlier losses at the start of the week. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 5.2 percent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 2.3 percent, and China’s Shanghai Composite advanced 1.5 percent. The market movements reflected investor optimism linked to the apparent de-escalation of the regional conflict.

The report also noted that the ongoing war had disrupted the supply of around 12 million barrels of oil per day, underscoring the conflict’s continuing impact on global energy markets despite the recent easing of tensions.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stated that approximately 234 billion US dollars were illicitly transferred abroad from Bangladesh during the previous Awami League government. Responding to a written question in parliament on Wednesday, he said the recovered funds will be used for the welfare of the people. The estimate comes from the White Paper Committee formed by the interim government, covering the years 2009 to 2023. Efforts are underway to recover the money through information exchange, asset identification, and mutual legal assistance with relevant countries.

Rahman said ten countries have been identified as destinations for the laundered funds, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong-China. Agreements for mutual legal assistance have been reached with Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the UAE, while discussions with the remaining seven countries are ongoing. A task force led by the Bangladesh Bank governor has been formed to oversee recovery efforts.

According to the Prime Minister, 141 cases have been filed so far, with six verdicts delivered. Assets worth about Tk 70,446 crore have been seized domestically and abroad as part of the recovery process.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told parliament on Wednesday that Bangladesh is tracing approximately 234 billion US dollars allegedly laundered abroad during the previous regime. Responding to a written question from MP Md. Abul Kalam, he said the government aims to recover the funds for public welfare. According to him, assets worth about 70,446 crore taka have already been seized or frozen domestically and overseas under court orders.

The prime minister said the interim government’s white paper committee estimated that between 2009 and 2023, illicit financial outflows averaged 16 billion dollars annually. Ten countries have been identified as destinations for the laundered money, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong-China. Agreements on mutual legal assistance have been reached with Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the UAE, while talks with the remaining seven countries are ongoing.

Rahman added that a task force led by the Bangladesh Bank governor is pursuing recovery through 11 priority cases, with 141 total cases filed so far. The government has made asset recovery a top priority in its broader anti-corruption and anti-money laundering strategy.

Bangladesh has imported an additional 7,000 tons of diesel from India through the Bangladesh-India Friendship Pipeline to the Parbatipur depot in Dinajpur. The consignment arrived at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday after pumping began on March 28 from the Numaligarh Refinery in Assam. The information was confirmed by the Deputy Manager (Operations) of Padma Oil PLC’s Parbatipur depot, Md. Ahsan Habib Chowdhury.

According to the report, the government continues regular diesel imports from India via pipeline to ensure national fuel security. Earlier, on March 11 and 23, two separate consignments of 5,000 tons each were received, bringing the total imported volume through the pipeline to 17,000 tons. Distribution to registered dealers began on Wednesday afternoon, and the depot remained open on Friday under government instruction to maintain normal fuel supply.

To ensure security, members of the Bangladesh Army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed at the Parbatipur depot, overseeing the distribution process to dealers.