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Fuel and gas supplies in Bangladesh are gradually returning to normal, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said on Sunday.
He said the Israel-Iran war had disrupted oil and gas supply chains in the Middle East, creating temporary difficulties in procuring fuel.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists at the Secretariat in Dhaka.
He said delays in bringing purchased fuel into the country, along with a fire at a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), had also contributed to the supply disruptions.
“The Middle East, a major hub for oil and gas supplies, was affected by the Israel-Iran war. It took some time to find alternative sources of fuel. Even after purchasing fuel, we could not bring it into the country immediately. In the meantime, a fire also broke out at an FSRU,” Tuku said.
He said the government had now overcome the disruptions and complications, and fuel supplies were gradually returning to normal.
“Fuel is now arriving in the country properly, and the supply schedule has also been finalised,” he said, adding that similar temporary disruptions had occurred in other parts of the world.
The minister said the government had taken steps to find alternative sources and even imported gas at higher prices to ease public hardship.
He said the government had not created the situation intentionally and that it had taken time to restore normalcy due to supply shortages and accidents.
Tuku expressed hope that electricity and fuel supplies could remain stable if there were no further accidents or disruptions.
He also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had personally taken initiatives to resolve the crisis quickly and that relevant agencies had worked together to address the situation.
“The government is making every effort to ensure that people do not face further hardship,” the minister said.