State-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has decided to store diesel to ensure supply of fuel for the upcoming irrigation season in Northern region.
Since the Northern Region consumes maximum diesel during irrigation season the Energy Division gave emphasis to the region. BPC estimated 3.80 lakhs tones of diesel for this season for Northern side of the country.
BPC estimated for the season 17 lakhs tones of fuel among them 3.80 lakhs of tones will be needed for Northern region. Thus to meet the huge demand the BPC has taken the decision to store 2.80 lakhs tones of diesel per month.
The fuel will be stored in the Eastern Refinery Ltd (ERL), a lone refinery company of the country in Chittagong. Primarily 45 thousand of diesel will be stored in Baghabari fuel oil distribution company situated in Northern region, said Energy Division official.
Comparative Fuel Demand Scenario of the country
Fiscal Year Demand of the country Demand of North
2013-14 17.20 lakh tones 3.73 lakhstones
2014-15 17.25 lakh tones 4 lakhs tones
2015-16 17 lakh tones 3.80 lakh tones
Source: BPC
To ensure the supply of fuel for the irrigation season a meeting was held last week in Energy Division. The division instructed the BPC, Railway, Chittagong Port Authority, Power Development Board (PDB), Rural Electrification Board (REB) to ensure the price and transportation the diesel timely.
A control room also has been formed in BPC main branch on December 15 to monitor the uninterrupted fuel supply for irrigation.
Besides, Padma , , Mehgna and Jamuna , local fuel oil distribution companies will form the control room to take care the supply of fuel to Borguna, Khulna, Dhaka, Sylhet, and Barishal. The control room will prepare a daily report of supply, storage and selling which will be displayed to the Energy Division and Prime Minister’s office.
As per BPC, ERL storage capacity is 4.97 tons of fuel oil. To ensure meeting the demand of fuel BPC will store 1.20 lakhs tones of diesel in the central refinery campus.
The BPC instructed to ready the lighters and cargoes to ease the transportation and fuel releasing also.