Mashrakha Jahan Mona 

 A bureaucratic delay at the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has stalled a government initiative to permit private companies to import, store, transport, distribute, and market refined fuel oil, worsening the country's ongoing energy crisis.

On August 6, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division sent an official directive to the BPC Chairman requesting a draft of the "Private-Sector Refined Fuel Import, Storage, Transportation, Distribution and Marketing Policy 2026" by August 10. Signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Asif Ahmed, the letter emphasized the necessity of a structured framework to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies by involving private operators in refined fuel operations (diesel, octane, petrol, and furnace oil).

Nearly a month past the deadline, the acting chairman of BPC has failed to submit the draft framework, stalling policy progression.

The policy initiative followed an application submitted on May 24 by Sayem Sobhan Anvir, Chairman of Anvir Bashundhara Group (ABG) and Bashundhara Oil and Gas Company Limited (BOGCL), to the Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. The application sought authorization to import, sell, and market refined fuel under private management to support agriculture, industry, transport, and domestic energy demands.

Responding to the proposal, Senior Assistant Secretary (Additional Charge) S.M. Azharul Islam instructed the BPC Chairman on July 2 to review relevant laws and provide a formal opinion, which was later followed by the August 6 directive to finalize the draft policy.

BOGCL Chairman Sayem Sobhan Anvir said  that on June 10, 2024, BOGCL secured permission to import crude oil, process, store, transport, and market refined products under its own management, alongside authorization to establish 388 filling stations and convert LPG/Autogas stations into full-service fuel stations. He highlighted that under Section 6.1.13 of the Private Sector Refinery Establishment, Crude Oil Import, Storage, Processing, Transportation and Marketing Policy 2023, entities capable of operating a 1.5 million metric ton refinery are eligible to undertake crude import and distribution, a capacity BOGCL already possesses.

In addition to BOGCL, another major LPG importer, Omera Petroleum, has formally applied for permission to import refined fuel oil. Omera is owned by Azam J Chowdhury, who famously filed an extortion case against Sheikh Hasina during the 2007–2008 caretaker government.

Despite explicit instructions from the ministry aimed at mitigating national fuel shortages, BPC’s inaction continues to block private-sector participation in fuel importation and marketing.