Bangladesh, March 30 -- Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood told Parliament on Monday that Bangladesh currently faces no fuel shortage, and that panic buying and hoarding are the primary causes of supply disruptions.

"I want to make it clear that there is no shortage of fuel in Bangladesh at present.

In fact, we have increased supply compared to last year," he said, speaking under Section 300 of the Rules of Procedure to address concerns about energy availability amid regional tensions following the Middle East conflict.

The Minister explained that actual consumption could not have suddenly doubled within a year, and that the current surge in purchases indicates hoarding rather than genuine demand.

"This ...