BPC ramps up fuel supply oversight with new depot hours, pump disclosure rules

The Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has introduced a new schedule for fuel release from its main installations and depots, while mandating petrol pumps to publicly display detailed daily supply charts.

The move comes as the government steps up monitoring to ensure steady fuel supply and curb artificial shortages amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

This is the latest in a series of steps aimed at easing supply concerns, as motorists across the country have been seen queuing at petrol stations, with lines often stretching for kilometres.

According to a BPC media statement issued on Saturday, fuel distribution from all major installations and depots under its marketing companies will begin at 7am and end at 3pm.

The corporation says the structured timeline is designed to streamline distribution, ensuring that filling stations, packet point dealers, and pumps receive supplies in a more organised manner.

The BPC has directed all filling stations and pumps to install blackboards or whiteboards in clearly visible locations.

The boards must display the fuel product name, the daily average received in March 2025, the daily average received in March 2026, and the quantity received on the day.

By comparing current supplies with the previous year's data, the BPC aims to enable both the public and authorities to verify allocations and detect any signs of hoarding.

The directive came into effect at 12pm on Saturday.

The new schedule follows a series of rigorous enforcement steps, including the formation of district-level vigilance teams and the appointment of "tag officers" at petrol pumps.

Government data show that 293 drives and mobile courts have been carried out across 62 districts in a single day, resulting in 78 cases and fines totalling Tk 315,550.

During an inspection at Jui Enterprise in Jamalpur, authorities found around 2,500 litres of petrol stored in 12 drums, despite claims from the pump management that stocks had run out.

The pump manager was fined Tk 50,000 under the Consumer Rights Protection Act, 2009, for creating an artificial crisis.