Bangladesh imposes fuel rationing and faces factory closures as Middle East conflict disrupts energy imports, causing long queues and public anger.

DHAKA: Bangladesh launched nationwide fuel rationing on Sunday as the escalating war in the Middle East deepened a severe energy crunch, sparking long queues at filling stations and boiling over into public anger.

The country of 170 million people, which imports 95% of its oil and gas needs, imposed the restrictions following US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes throughout the Gulf.

The national oil company, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), restricted fuel sales for most vehicles in a bid to curb panic buying and hoarding after warnings of possible supply disruptions.

Authorities capped fuel purchases for several vehicle types, with motorcyclists now limited to a maximum of two litres per tank.

BPC stated that consumers tend to buy more than they usually purchase during times of crisis, justifying the rationing measures.

Public frustration turned violent on Saturday night when a man was killed in the southern district of Jhenaidah after an altercation with filling station staff over refuelling.

Following the death of 25-year-old Nirob Hossain, angry crowds torched three buses and vandalised a filling station, according to police officer Md Mahfuz Afzal.

Long lines of vehicles formed outside numerous gas stations in the capital Dhaka as soon as the restrictions took effect on Sunday.

Motorcyclist Md Al-Amin, 45, said he waited for more than an hour to get his two-litre ration, noting his tank holds eight litres and he would now have to return in two days.

Paediatrician AKM Ruhul Amin, who managed to buy 10 litres for his sedan after waiting in vain the previous day, expressed frustration that the government would not allow a full tank.

An official with the distributor Meghna Petroleum Ltd., Ahmad Rush, estimated the number of customers had almost doubled, with his station refuelling 300 vehicles in just three and a half hours.

BPC said that fuel deliveries were expected soon to alleviate the shortage.

The energy crisis has also forced five of the country’s six fertiliser factories to close until March 18, according to Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation official Ahsan Quddus Kuntal.

 The Sun Malaysia