Dhaka, April 14 -- Production at Eastern Refinery Limited, the country's only state-owned oil refinery, has been halted due to a shortage of crude oil, officials said.

The production at the two major units of the refinery was suspended on Tuesday noon. The third unit is, however, running partially, producing an insignificant amount of petrol and octane, UNB reports.

Spokesperson for the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Monir Hossain Chowdhury confirmed the matter. However, no officials from the refinery agreed to comment.

Sources said the crisis stems from a lack of crude oil supply, worsened by disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict.

A crude oil shipment remains stuck in Saudi Arabia, leading to a depletion of existing s...