Bangladesh’s sole refinery halts operations amid crude shortage linked to regional conflict

On 2026-04-13, Bangladesh’s only state-owned refinery, Eastern Refinery PLC, suspended operations due to a crude oil shortage. The shutdown was linked to disrupted crude imports amid regional conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, though officials said domestic fuel supply was not immediately affected. The refinery had been running at reduced output before the halt, using crude trapped in the Single Point Mooring system in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar.