Transport, fuel type survey on cards to ease energy planning

The government has planned to conduct a survey to know what type of transport runs on which fuel to make energy planning easier.

There are 20 types of vehicles used for transporting passengers and goods, but the government has no data on which of them runs on what fuel. As a result, it is becoming difficult to make energy plans.

Sources said the Energy and Mineral Resources Division had instructed the authorities concerned to conduct the survey.

Power, energy and mineral resources ministry officials believe the government having detailed information on transport and fuel will ensure discipline in fare collection.

Director General of the Hydrocarbon Unit under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Md Rafiqul Islam told The Business Post they had prepared a proposal and sent a letter to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

“We sought from them a list of transports and what vehicle runs on which fuel. We asked them to do the survey fast, but no deadline was mentioned,” he said.

He said the survey would also be useful in the power system master plan.

BRTA says there are 49.72 lakh registered public transports in the country. Once the fuel survey begins, owners of registered vehicles have to disclose the type of fuel they use.

Besides, in case of new registrations, they have to mention the fuel type in the form. There are also many unregistered vehicles in the country.

Fares of transports running on CNG and other fuels went up after the recent rise in diesel prices. This is leading to arguments and unwanted situations between passengers and transport workers almost every day during journeys.

The authorities concerned conduct mobile court operations to address this, but passengers’ suffering continues unabated. The government now wants a permanent solution to this.

Energy division sources said information on fuel types used in transports was sought at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources on November 22. But no one had this information.

A meeting was held at the energy division following the November 22 meeting. The Hydrocarbon Unit director general told the meeting it was important to identify the types of fuel used in transports.

Energy Secretary Md Anisur Rahman also directed the authorities concerned to submit a report in this regard immediately.

Apart from diesel, CNG, petrol, octane, auto gas, and electricity are used in transports. Some petrol-, octane-, and CNG-powered vehicles are converting to auto gas to save fuel costs.

The majority of imported diesel is used as transport fuel. It will not be possible to make proper energy plans if the government does not know what transport runs on which fuel. That is why energy division officials think carrying out the survey is urgent.

Asked if conducting the survey was possible, a BRTA source said the transport agency knows the number of registered vehicles while information on fuel types during new registrations could be collected by including an option in the form.

They said the owners of transports registered already would have to disclose fuel types again during renewal.

Also, a notice could be issued asking all transport owners to disclose fuel types, they also said.

But the process had not been decided yet and would be fixed through discussions, they added.

BRTA sources said the number of registered vehicles in the country had increased by 35,44,167 in 10 years, including motorcycles and tractors. Given the growing demand, the number could double in the next 10 years.

These transports do not include electric vehicles.