No Fuel Supply Crisis Expected Until December: BPC Chairman Assures

⛽ Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Chairman Rafiqul Islam has assured that the country will face no fuel supply crisis until December, as the state-run fuel importer steps up procurement and infrastructure measures to maintain uninterrupted supply through the critical winter months. The assurance comes at a time when global energy markets remain volatile due to the Iran war and Middle East supply disruptions.

📊 "There will be no problem with fuel supply until December," the BPC chairman said at a views exchange meeting with journalists at BPC headquarters in Chattogram. He said fuel procurement remained one of BPC's key short-term challenges, but the corporation was taking necessary measures to ensure uninterrupted supplies. "We are taking whatever is needed. Fuel procurement is a major challenge, but we are working so that there is no disruption," he said.

📜 December Deadline For Multiple Infrastructure Projects

Rafiqul said BPC had set December as the target for completing several immediate initiatives to strengthen the country's fuel supply infrastructure. Some projects could take longer because of technical, legal and other practical complications, he said, but the corporation was working according to specific deadlines. "I believe in working according to specific dates and deadlines," he said.

The December deadline approach — applied across multiple infrastructure projects simultaneously — reflects a structured project management methodology that the BPC chairman is bringing to the state fuel corporation. If the deadlines are met, the coming months will see meaningful upgrades to Bangladesh's fuel supply infrastructure, reducing the country's vulnerability to the kind of supply disruptions that have repeatedly constrained industrial production and power generation.

• 📅 Assurance period: Through December 2026
• 🚧 Dhaka-Chattogram fuel pipeline: Obstacles being removed
• 🚧 Jet-1 pipeline: Target December (contractor proposes March)
• 🚢 SPM operator: Decision expected imminently
• 🏛 Eastern Refinery Unit-2: Preparatory work progressing
• 🌏 LPG imports: Exploring alternative sources/routes

🚧 Dhaka-Chattogram Fuel Pipeline

BPC is working to remove the remaining obstacles to fully operationalising the Dhaka-Chattogram fuel pipeline, Rafiqul said. The corporation has already discussed the issues with relevant parties and is working on specific solutions, he said. The pipeline is expected to strengthen fuel transportation between Dhaka and Chattogram and reduce reliance on road-based transport. The pipeline's full operationalisation would represent a meaningful upgrade to Bangladesh's fuel logistics infrastructure — replacing the current tanker truck-based system with a safer, more efficient pipeline that reduces transport costs, accident risks and delivery times.

🚧 Jet-1 Pipeline: BPC Pushing For December Completion

BPC is also working to complete the Jet-1 pipeline project as early as possible. The contractor wants to complete the project by March, but BPC is pushing for completion by December, Rafiqul said. "We want it completed by December. We will try to finish it as soon as possible," he said. The four-month acceleration — from the contractor's March timeline to BPC's December target — reflects BPC's urgency in expanding fuel distribution capacity amid the ongoing energy supply challenges.

🚢 SPM Operator Decision Imminent

On the long-delayed appointment of an operator for the Single Point Mooring (SPM) project, Rafiqul said a decision could be announced soon. "We expect to hear something positive tomorrow," he said. The SPM project is intended to speed up the unloading of imported crude and refined petroleum products and reduce pressure on existing fuel-handling facilities. As we reported earlier, Indonesia's PT Pertamina was selected as the O&M contractor for the SPM following re-tendering — the BPC chairman's statement confirms that the formal announcement was imminent.

🏛 Eastern Refinery Unit-2: Preparatory Work Underway

Preparatory work for Eastern Refinery Limited's Unit-2 project is also progressing, Rafiqul said. The project director has already started setting up the project office and identifying activities that can begin immediately. "Some of the advance works can be started. We have identified those works and they will begin soon," he said. The Eastern Refinery Unit-2 project would expand Bangladesh's domestic refining capacity, reducing dependence on imported refined petroleum products and improving the country's fuel supply autonomy. He acknowledged that court cases and other practical complications could delay some projects, making it difficult to set fixed completion dates in every case.

🌏 Alternative LPG Sources Amid Red Sea Disruption

BPC is exploring alternative sources and routes for LPG imports amid continuing disruptions in the Red Sea, Rafiqul said. The Red Sea disruption — driven by Houthi control of the Bab el-Mandeb strait — has forced Bangladesh to diversify its LPG sourcing away from traditional Middle Eastern suppliers. The exploration of alternative sources and routes reflects BPC's recognition that the geopolitical disruption to Middle East shipping routes may persist for an extended period, requiring structural rather than temporary adjustments to LPG procurement strategy.

For Bangladesh's broader energy security, the BPC chairman's assurance — combined with the multiple infrastructure projects targeted for December completion — provides a degree of visibility on fuel supply that has been notably absent through the turbulent summer months of 2026. If the projects are delivered on schedule, the country's fuel supply infrastructure will be materially strengthened entering 2027, supporting the industrial production and power generation capacity needed for the country's post-LDC graduation economic trajectory.