Authorities have seized a total of 372,388 litres of illegally stored fuel during a month-long nationwide crackdown in March, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division announced Thursday.

Monir Hossain Chowdhury, Joint Secretary (Operations) and spokesperson for the division, shared the findings during a press conference held at the Secretariat.

Between March 3 and April 1, a total of 4,824 separate drives were conducted across the country, resulting in the filing of 2,009 cases against individuals and businesses involved in hoarding or illegal trade.

The spokesperson detailed that the intensive operations led to the recovery of 271,374 litres of diesel, 30,960 litres of octane, and 70,054 litres of petrol.

In addition to the seizures, mobile courts and authorities imposed fines totaling BDT 1,01,00,435, while 24 individuals were sentenced to varying terms of imprisonment for their roles in the illegal storage activities.

The official emphasized that these measures are part of a broader government effort to stabilize the energy market and prevent artificial crises caused by hoarding.

Providing an overview of the national energy security situation, Chowdhury stated that as of March 31, 2026, the country’s official fuel stock remains stable.

Currently, the national reserves hold 128,939 metric tonnes of diesel, 7,940 metric tonnes of octane, 11,431 metric tonnes of petrol, and 44,609 metric tonnes of jet fuel.

The Energy Division reaffirmed its commitment to continuing these drives to ensure that fuel distribution remains transparent and that public resources are protected from illegal exploitation.

Fuel Type	Quantity Seized (Litres)
Diesel	271,374
Petrol	70,054
Octane	30,960
Total	372,388