Mohammad Suman

Move is part of wider trade tax reform as Bangladesh prepares for LDC graduation

Imports from the US have more than doubled in the first four months of the year, as Bangladesh scrambles to shrink the bilateral trade deficit.

Imports halve year-on-year, retailers receive under 40% supply, consumers pay up to Tk 15 above govt rate per litre

An acute shortage of ammonia has closed down production at the state-owned DAP Fertilizer Company Limited (DAPFCL), marking a fresh setback for the country’s fertiliser supply chain, officials said.

Bangladesh’s octane stock is set to reach near full storage capacity after a fresh consignment of 25,000 tonnes anchored at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port last night.

Fresh 25,000‑tonne consignment pushes stock to 55,500 tonnes against 53,000‑tonne capacity

The bustling trading hub of Chaktai–Khatunganj in Chattogram -- one of the country’s oldest and largest wholesale markets -- once used to come alive a week before Pahela Baishakh to observe Halkhata, a thousand-year-old tradition.

With usable crude stocks nearly exhausted amid import disruptions due to US-Israel war on Iran, the Eastern Refinery Ltd (ERL) has been kept running by drawing from “deadstock”, residual crude settled at the bottom of storage tanks that can only be used in limited quantities in emergencies.

Possible shutdown within a week if fresh supplies do not arrive

The two-week ceasefire in the US-Israel war on Iran may not have an immediate impact on Bangladesh’s fuel supply situation.

Prices of edible oil, sugar and spices have risen across major wholesale markets in Bangladesh over the past several weeks.

Bangladesh’s sole state-owned refinery is operating on critically low crude reserves, raising the prospect of a temporary halt in operations within days, even as shipments await movement through disrupted regional supply lines.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) may slip back into losses if fuel prices are not adjusted in the upcoming cycle, as global oil prices surge.

Fuel supply shortfall shows little sign of easing, as global uncertainty, disruptions during the extended Eid holidays and weekend, and high domestic demand continue to pressure the energy chain.

The country’s fuel supply chain is under strain as sharp post-Eid surge in demand collides with import uncertainty tied to the US-Israel war on Iran.

Retailers say; wholesalers blame supply constraints

The government has managed to curb the drain on national fuel stocks by imposing restrictions on purchases for 10 days straight, bringing daily demand back to near last year’s levels.

Chattogram supply smooth after fresh deliveries

Bangladesh imports crude and refined fuel oil from a range of countries, including in the Middle East, to meet its annual demand of roughly 70 lakh tonnes

Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar are two key sources