Fuel Pass System Planned To Steady Sales As Pressure Builds At Pumps

The government is moving ahead with a QR code–based digital fuel pass system, aiming to bring order to retail fuel sales at a time when long lines and uncertainty have become a daily feature at filling stations.

Officials say the system could begin limited testing within weeks, with April set as the starting point for an initial rollout. The first phase will focus on motorcycles, a segment authorities believe is driving much of the visible congestion at petrol and octane pumps.

Work on the mobile application is already underway. Once operational, vehicle owners will register using personal and vehicle details, after which a QR code will be issued for each registered unit. Fuel purchases will then be tied to that code.

At the pump, operators will scan the code before dispensing fuel. Each transaction will be logged automatically, creating a record of how much fuel has been purchased and when. The system is designed to prevent repeated buying beyond a set limit within a given time frame.

Officials have not finalised those limits for Bangladesh. They note, however, that similar systems elsewhere restrict motorcycles to around five litres per week and cars to roughly 15 litres, with provisions for additional purchases in special cases.

The move comes as concerns grow over supply pressure and the behaviour of buyers. While diesel accounts for roughly 63 percent of national demand, the most visible strain has been on petrol and octane, which together make up a much smaller share.

Authorities believe fear of price increases has led some consumers to buy more fuel than necessary, particularly among motorcycle and private car owners. That pattern, they say, is contributing to queues and uneven distribution.

By introducing a digital record of transactions, the government hopes to limit such practices and bring a degree of discipline to retail sales. The system is also expected to filter out unregistered vehicles, which officials suspect are adding to demand, though no precise figures are available.

Motorcycles were chosen for the first phase partly for practical reasons. They account for a significant portion of petrol and octane purchases and offer a manageable entry point for testing the technology before expanding to other vehicle categories.

In the meantime, several districts have already introduced manual fuel card systems. Places like Satkhira, Thakurgaon, Chuadanga and Sirajganj now require drivers to present official cards to purchase petrol or octane, with local administrations recording transactions by hand.

Those efforts are being treated as early experiments, helping authorities understand how rationing might work on the ground before shifting to a digital platform.

Officials say they are considering ways to keep the eventual process simple, including options for registration or activation at filling stations alongside the mobile application.

The broader plan may eventually extend beyond private vehicles. Authorities are also looking at monitoring fuel distribution in agriculture and industry, sectors that rely heavily on diesel and are considered critical during the current irrigation season.

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For now, the focus remains on getting the first phase up and running. How the system performs in those early trials will shape what comes next.