BPC chief says 23% of expected refined oil consignments imported in April

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Chairman Md Rezanur Rahman has said that 3-4 of the total 17 refined oil shipments expected in April has reached the country so far, with only 12 days remaining in the month.

Speaking to BBC Bangla, the BPC chief gave a brief outlook of refined and crude oil import status in the current month.

Of the 17 expected shipments, 11 has been confirmed, and 3-4 of these have already arrived. The authorities are working on bringing in the rest of 6-7 confirmed shipments, and trying to secure confirmation for importing 3 more shipments.

That leaves three more expected shipments of which one has been deferred, and two others have been declared force majeure by the exporting authorities, Rezanur added.

He also said two crude oil shipments were expected in March and one in April.

On 2 March, one crude shipment was expected, but the transit through Strait of Hormuz was disrupted by an abrupt closure by Iranian security agencies. Bangladeshi officials are continuing negotiations with their Iranian counterparts to secure its transit permit.

Even last week, Bangladeshi authorities sat down with the Iranian ambassador in Dhaka to discuss the permit, Rezanur told BBC Bangla.

On 22 March, the month’s second crude shipment was expected but was declared force majeure.

On 20-22 April, a crude oil tanker is set to sail towards Bangladeshi coast, and it is expected to reach the country in the first week of May, the energy official added.