Dhaka, March 24 (IANS) Bangladesh's Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud has admitted that the normal fuel supply system has been disrupted in the country due to rise in consumer demand, local media reported on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Tuesday, Mahmud said that the situation has emerged as the fuel at petrol pumps gets exhausted faster than usual, United News of Bangladesh reported.

He said, "Earlier, tank lorries would be filled in the morning and even after selling fuel throughout the day, there would be some surplus. But now, due to long queues, the fuel runs out quickly,” he said.

When asked why people are not getting fuel despite there being no shortage, as he had said earlier, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud stated that supply delays in the early hours were causing the problem.

The minister said, "It takes time to refill tankers from depots and transport fuel to pumps. So there is a shortage in the early morning, but fuel becomes available later."

He said the demand of consumers had increased sharply, with the amount of fuel sold in a day was now being sold out within just a few hours, UNB reported. He further said, "When demand suddenly spikes like this, naturally the fuel will run out."

Mahmud stated that the existing supply mechanism were strained due to high number of people crowding petrol pumps.

When asked whether the government would implement fuel rationing in Bangladesh, he said, “I cannot say anything about that right now." He urged people not to buy fuel beyond their needs, stressing that purchasing in large quantity quote further disrupt supply.

Meanwhile, commuters faced problems as fuel shortage has been reported at several filling stations in Khulna city. Palash Das, a resident of Dashpara in the Boyra area, said that he could not get fuel for his motorcycle despite visiting four stations, Bangladesh's leading daily The Daily Star reported.

--IANS

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