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Prime Minister Tareque Rahman sought $2 billion (approximately BDT 24,600 crore) in global assistance from international stakeholders to combat the ongoing fuel crisis in the country, which has been exacerbated by the war in the Middle East.
He requested this aid while virtually participating in the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) Plus conference on Wednesday (April 15) afternoon.
The Prime Minister stated that this crisis has clearly brought to the forefront our interdependence and vulnerabilities. No single country can tackle this challenge alone. Coordinated and far-sighted measures are necessary among Asian countries to strengthen regional energy security and resolve issues of supply disruptions.
The Prime Minister expressed apprehension, stating that the magnitude and consequences of this crisis could be more severe than the oil crisis of the 1970s, which had stalled development activities in the 1980s.
Tareque Rahman informed that the fuel crisis is harming Bangladesh’s economy, and the government has taken several short-term measures to mitigate its impact. These include — demand management by adjusting the operating hours of government offices and markets; increasing emergency fuel imports and normalizing fuel supply through alternative sources; implementing fuel rationing and setting limits on retail sales for consumer control; and initiatives such as a ‘Fuel App’ to prevent hoarding and panic buying.