Fuel sales drop by 89.3pc

The ongoing curfew, which began on Saturday, has resulted in fewer vehicles plying streets throughout the country. As a result, fuel sales have decreased significantly.

The sale of diesel has dropped by 98 percent, while sales of petrol and octane have fallen by 82 and 88 percent respectively. On average, fuel sales dropped by 89.3 percent.

Chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Aminul Ahsan told The Daily Star that there is a sufficient fuel stock in the country. Fuel depots were closed due to unstable situation, but now all activities in the depots are normal.

"Sale of fuel decreased in the past few days, as vehicular movement remained stopped," he said, adding, "As the situation has improved now, sale of fuel has also increased since Tuesday."

As per data from BPC, around 3,000 tonnes of diesel was sold on Monday. On the same day, 175 tonnes of octane, 295 tonnes of petrol and 1,400 tonnes of furnace oil was also sold.

On Saturday, only 1,400 tonnes of diesel, 42 tonnes of octane and 160 tonnes of petrol were sold. No furnace oil was sold on that day.

Requesting anonymity, a number of officials of BPC said 11,000 tonnes of diesel was sold in the country on July 20, 2023 while 1,000 tonnes of octane and 1,300 tonnes of petrol were sold on that day.

At present, the demand for diesel in the country is 15,000 tonnes a day, while for octane the daily demand is 1,500 tonnes and 1,600 tonnes for petrol.

According to officials at the depots, demand for diesel is high in the northern districts of the country, including Rangpur and Dinajpur, at present. So, supply of diesel is being ensured in this region through railway wagons.

BPC chairman Aminul Ahsan said jet fuel is being supplied to the four airports in the country with the help of security forces.