Petrol pump owners have proposed limiting filling station hours from 8pm to 7am daily, citing severe shortages in fuel supply from depots.
The Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association made the proposal during a meeting in Dhaka on Tuesday, which focused on market conditions and the challenges facing the sector.
Association leaders explained that many stations are unable to meet consumer demand due to inadequate fuel deliveries, making current operating hours unsustainable.
They identified logistical constraints and transportation management as key obstacles.
Owners noted that dispatching partially loaded tankers raises transport costs and causes financial losses.
They urged authorities to ensure full tanker loads and improve coordination when distributing fuel to multiple stations within a district to enhance efficiency.
The meeting also addressed claims of an artificial fuel crisis, with owners acknowledging that unauthorised sales and hoarding sometimes occur but emphasising that these are isolated incidents and not reflective of the industry as a whole.
The association stated that holding fuel reserves without selling should be treated as a punishable offense.
They pledged full cooperation with the government to revoke licenses of dealers found hoarding fuel and promised decisive action within their organisations against such violations.
