To curb illegal hoarding of fuel oil a total of 342 drives were conducted between March 23 and April 4. During these drives, 2,456 cases were filed and 31 individuals were sentenced to imprisonment.

A total of Tk 1,25,39,000 in fines was realised and 4,048,456 litres of fuel oil were recovered during the drives.

Power, energy and mineral resources minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, responding to Maulvibazar-2 lawmaker Md Showkatul Islam told Jatiya Sangsad on Tuesday.

Amid the ongoing US-Iran war, began on February 28, the minister said that the situation made uncertainty in fuel supply to the country.

Informing about the current stock and import situation of fuel oil, he said that the country now had 1,64,644 tonnes of diesel in stock, with another 1,38,000 tonnes expected to arrive by April.

The current stock of octane stands at 10,500 tonnes, and 71,443 tonnes will arrive by April.

‘Petrol stock stands at 16,000 tonnes, while 36,000 tonnes is expected to arrive within April,’ the minister said.

He said that, as a result of the crisis, oil prices were increased in almost all countries in South Asia, except Bangladesh.