Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has sought support from law enforcement and district administrations for fuel transportation, especially diesel, during the Boro season because of continuous nationwide blockades.
“We have sent letters to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to ensure police escort and the help of deputy commissioners for fuel carrying vehicles because of the violence and risk on highways during blockades,” BPC Chairman Md Eunusur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Boro season started in December and will continue till May.
“A total of 8% fuel oil is supplied through rail wagons for transportation. So we have wanted especially measure in this regard,” he said.
“Around 90% petroleum fuel is usually transported across the country through waterways. Only 2% goes through road ways,” the BPC chairman said.
The BPC, the country’s lone oil importer and distributor, used to sell oil to refuelling stations through its subsidiaries, Padma, Megna and Jamuna Oil companies.
“A bumper production will not be possible if we cannot ensure the supply of diesel and timely irrigation. We have plenty of fuel in stock. Our chief concern is uninterrupted supply for farmers,” he said.
Eunus said on days without any political programmes, the BPC had been supplying up to three times the usual amount from the depots.
“Transportation of fuel oil through trucks and tankers has been suspended for the past few days because of the blockades,” he said.
According to the BPC, 44% of petroleum products are consumed in the communication sector, 22.47% in power generation, 20.95% in agriculture, 4.43% by industries and 8.15% in households and others.
“We have started planting Boro but there is a shortage of diesel for the pump. If this situation continues, it will be a tough time ahead,” Abu Taher, a farmer of Sirajganj, told the Dhaka Tribune.
The BPC is working to stock 90,000 tonnes of diesel between December 2013 and May 2014 and another 60,000 tonnes for buffer stock in the Eastern Refinery Limited during irrigation season.
The BPC also plans to continue to stock one lakh tonnes of diesel at the main instalments in the fuel distribution companies and ERL during the Boro season.
The demand for diesel in the agriculture sector was about 4 lakh tonnes in the last fiscal year.
