Fuel secured until April, govt paying Tk 167 crore subsidy daily: State minister

The government is providing a subsidy of Tk 167 crore on fuel every day to reduce public suffering, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit said today.

He made the remark while speaking as the chief guest at a cheque hand-over programme for the underprivileged in Jashore.

“You know what happens when fuel prices go up -- electricity tariffs go up, public transport fares go up, and the prices of essentials go up. Life becomes more difficult. Therefore, despite multifaceted economic pressures, the government has no plan to raise fuel prices at this moment,” he said.

He also termed Iran’s green signal for Bangladeshi vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz a diplomatic success of the government.

Claiming that the country has managed to ensure fuel supply until April, he said there is currently widespread concern among people over fuel availability.

“While around 80 countries worldwide have increased fuel prices, Bangladesh has not. We have maintained a regular supply system, but demand has increased abnormally,” he added.

The state minister said the daily demand for diesel in the country was previously around 12,000 tonnes, while petrol and octane demand ranged between 1,200 and 1,400 tonnes. Ahead of Eid, daily diesel supply rose to 24,000–25,000 tonnes -- almost double.

He said a well-known petrol pump in Dhaka sold about 5,000 litres of octane a day in March 2025, but that figure has now risen to around 9,000 to 10,000 litres -- and even then, supplies often run out within two to three hours.

“If people purchase more than what they need, others may be deprived of fuel and even essential goods when they need them,” he said.

The state minister said the government has already started work to ensure a 90-day fuel reserve in the future, anticipating that global instability may persist.

At the end of the event, he handed over one-time financial assistance cheques to 153 underprivileged individuals.