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Bangladesh Waterway Crisis: Fuel Shortage Strands Thousands, Fares Set to Rise

A severe diesel shortage is crippling Bangladesh's inland water transport system, causing major disruptions and passenger suffering. The President of the Bangladesh Inland Waterways Association states there is a 40% reduction in supply against demand, severely hampering vessel operations. With daily demand in Dhaka alone reaching 300,000 litres, the shortfall has drastically reduced trips from key terminals like Sadarghat. Vessel owners are now urging fare increases to offset a government-mandated 15 taka per litre price hike for diesel.

Key Points: Bangladesh Water Transport Crippled by Diesel Shortage

  • 40% fuel supply deficit
  • Daily Dhaka demand up to 300k litres
  • Passenger trips drastically reduced
  • Fares to rise with 15 taka/litre hike
  • 30k-40k daily passengers impacted at one terminal
2 min read

Energy crisis disrupts waterway transport in Bangladesh

Fuel crisis disrupts inland waterways, stranding passengers and forcing fare hikes. Association president details the severe 40% supply shortfall.

"We are not receiving sufficient diesel supply from the government, and as a result, we are facing a lot of difficulty - Badiuzzaman Badal"

Dhaka; April 19

Due to the conflict in West Asia, Bangladesh's waterway transport has seen disruptions, and as a result, people are suffering, with rising costs, which have resulted in difficulties for people in Bangladesh.

The government of Bangladesh is unable to meet the demand for diesel and lubricants for waterway transport.

"We need between 200,000 and 300,000 litres of diesel per day just for the vessels based in Dhaka", Badiuzzaman Badal, President of Bangladesh Inland Waterways Association, told ANI in an interview.

He underlined that outside of Dhaka, vessels are present in places such as Bhairab, Narshingdi, Narayanganj, Aricha, Barisal, Patuakhali, and Bhola, which also require fuel, diesel, and lubricants.

"We have various types of vessels here; some consume 250 litres of diesel per day, some 500 litres, and some between 600 and 700 litres per day. We are not receiving sufficient diesel supply from the government, and as a result, we are facing a lot of difficulty in operating the vessels", Badol lamented.

Describing the details of the operating vessels, he shared that due to a reduction in the supply of fuel, vessel owners are struggling significantly.

"Each vessel operates with three engines: two main engines and one generator. All of these require diesel and lubricating oil. However, there is currently a 40% reduction in supply compared to demand. As a result, vessel owners are struggling significantly. Meanwhile, the price of diesel has also increased by 15 taka per litre. We are now urging the government to adjust this increased fuel cost by raising the fare accordingly", he said.

He underlined how Bangladesh has a total of 450 passenger vessels across the country. Amongst them, he said that 50 vessels operate up and down from Dhaka, and from just one terminal in the capital's Sadarghat, between 30,000 and 40,000 passengers travel daily by these vessels.

Despite Sadarghat being a bustling terminal, passenger vessels were lined up one after another, and passengers were not travelling because the number of up-and-down trips had been greatly reduced due to the fuel shortage.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Very sad to hear about the common people suffering. 30-40k passengers daily from just one terminal! That's massive disruption. It reminds us how interconnected our region's economies are. A lesson for India too to diversify energy sources. 🙏
R
Rohit P
The numbers are staggering. 200k-300k litres per day just for Dhaka? And a 40% supply gap? This is a full-blown crisis. While the government should act, maybe regional cooperation on fuel sharing during emergencies could be explored with neighboring countries.
S
Sarah B
Reading this from an Indian perspective, it highlights our own vulnerabilities. We rely heavily on imports too. Time to seriously push for renewables and electric alternatives for public transport, especially in riverine areas. The tech is there.
K
Karthik V
Feel for the vessel owners and workers. Their livelihood is at stake. However, just raising fares will put more burden on passengers who are already struggling. The government needs a subsidy mechanism or a temporary price control, not just pass on the cost.
N
Nisha Z
Bhairab, Barisal, Bhola... these are major hubs. This isn't just a Dhaka problem. The entire country's connectivity is hit. It shows how a conflict far away in West Asia can bring daily life to a halt in South Asia. Stay strong, Bangladesh.

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