Millions of people in Bangladesh are lining up outside petrol stations day and night due to concerns over declining fuel reserves. Motorcyclists and drivers wait for hours, sometimes overnight, to receive limited amounts of fuel. Majid Ali, who commutes 22km daily for work, described standing in a queue for two hours to get fuel for his motorcycle.
Bangladesh's declining fuel reserves are triggered by Donald Trump's month-long war on Iran, which has shut the Strait of Hormuz for most vessels since late February, disrupting Middle East oil exports. Oil prices have surged amid anxiety about whether Iran will reopen the strait, a critical chokepoint where almost 90% of Asia's crude oil purchases pass through. The country, with 175 million people, relies on imports for roughly 95% of its energy needs, making it highly vulnerable.
In response, the government has imposed fuel rationing for vehicles, restrictions on diesel sales, and closed universities. The newly elected Bangladesh Nationalist Party government led by Tarique Rahman is scrambling to formulate a response to rising energy costs, pressure on foreign exchange reserves, and the prospect of being the first country to run out of fuel supplies. Late last month, Bangladesh had around 80,000 tonnes of crude stored at its Eastern Refinery, enough for just over two weeks, with diesel reserves similarly stretched.
Desperate scenes have emerged, with several filling stations shutting their gates with bamboo barricades after running out of fuel, and fuel dispensers wrapped in blue plastic and tied off. Outside the capital, fuel shortages are more acute, with fuel being sold informally in plastic bottles in small quantities at higher prices. Authorities in Dhaka are scrambling to diversify fuel imports by reaching out to Singapore, Malaysia, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Angola, and Australia.
Bangladesh has also sought a temporary US sanctions waiver similar to India's to import up to 600,000 metric tonnes of Russian diesel.