The government has kept fuel prices unchanged for March, maintaining the rates set in February. Last month, the prices of petrol, octane, diesel, and kerosene were increased by one taka per liter compared to January.

According to an order issued today (Saturday) by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, fuel prices in Bangladesh are adjusted monthly based on global market fluctuations through an automated pricing system. For March, to ensure a relatively affordable fuel supply, the current pricing structure remains unchanged: diesel at 105 taka per liter, kerosene at 105 taka, octane at 126 taka, and petrol at 122 taka.

Since March of last year, the government has been setting fuel prices automatically in alignment with global market trends. As per this system, new prices are announced every month.

A directive issued on February 29, 2024, outlines the formula for automated fuel price determination. It states that petrol and octane are primarily used in private vehicles and are considered luxury items, which is why their prices are always set higher than diesel.

The state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) consistently earns a profit from petrol and octane sales, while its overall profit or loss largely depends on diesel, which accounts for 75% of the country's fuel consumption.

Additionally, BPC regularly adjusts the prices of jet fuel for aircraft and furnace oil for power plants, while the Energy and Mineral Resources Division sets the prices for diesel, kerosene, petrol, and octane.