Fuel crisis: The terrible impact of Middle East War
The government’s statement that the country has adequate fuel reserves has done little to ease the concerns of consumers. According to a report of this newspaper yesterday, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said that there is no shortage of fuel in the country. But as people are buying more oil than they need, the pumps are running out of oil prematurely.
Customers, on the other hand, are complaining that they are not getting the fuel they need at any of the pumps. They are becoming tired, irritated and bitter after waiting for hours for oil.
In many places, the quarrels between buyers and sellers are even taking the form of hand-to-hand fighting.
Meanwhile, the convener of the Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association informed the media that fuel is being supplied to the pumps from the depot within the prescribed limits, which is insufficient compared to the current demand.
As a result, some pumps are not getting oil. Some are getting less than required. In such a situation, the Petrol Pump Owners Association has informed on social media that there is a fear that petrol pumps in the country will be closed due to fuel shortage and insecurity.
International analysts have warned that the world is facing the worst energy crisis in history. It is widely believed that this crisis will also affect Bangladesh.
The tense situation in the Middle East has been going on for more than three weeks. It is feared that the tension will not subside soon. The ongoing US-Israeli aggression against Iran has led to a fuel crisis almost all over the world. Bangladesh is no exception as its dependence on imports for most of its fuel.
It may be recalled that as the existing crisis intensified in early March, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) announced that the Energy Department had finalized the import of 280,000 tons of diesel by April.
And at that moment, a ship was unloading fuel at Chittagong port. It was said that two more ships were arriving soon. If the supply is sufficient, what is the need for rationing? Is it possible for an ordinary buyer to stock up on fuel oil?
The time for optimism that the war will end soon is not yet ripe.
Therefore, the government will have to find alternative sources of oil imports and inform the public about the nature of the crisis. On the other hand, consumers should not panic and work together to combat this crisis by being as economical as possible in their oil consumption.
