Written by The Banking Post
A fresh shipment of diesel has reached Chattogram Port, even as fuel stations across the city continue to face pressure due to an ongoing shortage of octane.
A Panama-flagged vessel carrying 30,000 tonnes of diesel from Malaysia arrived at the port early Tuesday, marking the eighth such shipment during March, according to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC). The cargo will be discharged either through lightering or directly at the dolphin jetty.
Another diesel-laden vessel is expected on April 3, followed by a ship carrying around 70,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on April 4.
Port data shows that 33 fuel-carrying vessels arrived in March, including shipments of fuel oil, LNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Most have already unloaded and departed, while six more vessels are scheduled to arrive by April 4.
“All most all of them have already unloaded fuel and returned. Six more ships will arrive by April 4,” said a port official, noting that upcoming shipments include LNG, gas oil and LPG.
Despite the steady flow of fuel imports, long queues remain visible at petrol pumps across Chattogram, particularly for motorcycles. Many stations are operating for limited hours.
Industry insiders say the problem lies not with diesel but with octane supply. “There is no diesel crisis in Chattogram. However, there is a crisis of octane. Petrol pumps are not supplying as per demand,” said a representative of the petrol pump owners’ association, adding that demand has surged while supply has remained unchanged.
The district administration has intensified monitoring through mobile courts, conducting dozens of drives and imposing fines to ensure discipline in the sector.
“There is no shortage of fuel in the country. We have sufficient stocks of octane, petrol and diesel. There is no need to panic,” said the deputy commissioner, warning that action will be taken against hoarding.