Bangladesh is rolling out a QR code-based digital fuel pass system from April, initially targeting motorcycles, as the government moves to regulate fuel distribution and curb panic buying amid acute pressure on the country’s supply network from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The system, operated through a mobile application registered at fuelpass.gov.bd, requires vehicle owners to link their national ID, vehicle registration and fuel type to generate a unique QR code. At petrol stations, operators scan the code before dispensing fuel, with each transaction automatically logged against a weekly quota. Motorcycles are being targeted in the first phase because they account for a significant proportion of petrol and octane purchases. Exact quota limits have not been finalised, though the Energy Division has referenced comparable systems elsewhere that allow motorcycles approximately five litres per week. Once a vehicle exhausts its allocation, the system blocks further purchases until the next cycle.
Pilot testing is being conducted in selected districts, with several areas including Satkhira, Thakurgaon, Chuadanga and Sirajganj already operating manual fuel card systems that the digital platform will replace. 2,284 government officials have been deployed as station monitors nationwide during the transition period.
The crisis driving the system is rooted in global supply disruption. Bangladesh imports the majority of its fuel from the Middle East, and the Iran war has driven Brent crude above USD 120 per barrel from around USD 71 before hostilities began. The import-adjusted cost of diesel has reached Tk 198 per litre against a subsidised retail price of Tk 100, creating a subsidy burden of approximately Tk 4,231 crore on diesel alone in March. Bangladesh has separately written to the US State Department requesting a waiver to import up to 600,000 tonnes of refined fuel from Russia.
Editor’s Note: The fuel pass system is a direct consequence of the Iran conflict’s effect on energy-dependent South Asian economies — and Bangladesh is one of the most exposed, with minimal domestic production and heavy dependence on Gulf import routes. The digital rationing mechanism is a technically sophisticated response to a supply shock, but its effectiveness will depend on how rapidly the registration platform scales and how well station-level enforcement holds. Watch for expansion to cars and diesel vehicles as the next implementation phase.
