Bangladesh is seeing a wave of panic buying at petrol stations across Dhaka, triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East despite repeated assurances from authorities that the country has ample fuel reserves and no immediate risk of shortages.
For the past two days, long queues of motorcycles, private cars and microbuses have stretched for hundreds of metres at stations in Shahbagh, Malibagh, Kalyanpur, Shyamoli, Asad Gate and Paribagh. Some pumps were even forced to halt sales temporarily after exhausting their daily allocations due to the sudden surge in demand. The rush has spilled onto nearby roads, worsening traffic congestion during the busy Ramadan period.
Officials and energy experts say the frenzy reflects fear, not an actual supply crisis.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood reiterated that Bangladesh has “adequate fuel oil” in reserve. After meeting Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday, he confirmed that two additional fuel shipments are scheduled to arrive on 9 March.
To stabilise the situation and prevent hoarding, the government has introduced temporary rationing: motorcycles may buy up to two litres of petrol or octane per day, private cars up to 10 litres, and microbuses 20-25 litres.
“Some people are buying more fuel than they normally need, which is creating unnecessary panic and artificial pressure on supply,” the minister said.
Authorities have also announced the deployment of mobile courts to monitor filling stations and curb irregularities in fuel sales. Experts maintain that reserves remain stable and that the panic is driven largely by public perception amid global uncertainty.
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