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He said the current parliament was earned through the blood of many martyrs and reflects the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh for a brighter future.

“The issue we discussed today is undoubtedly an important one … . It‘s not only crucial for Bangladesh; considering global politics and realities, it is an issue of great importance for all of the world.”

He, however, did not mention the word “crisis” in his speech.

At the start of the discussion, Shafiqur in his notice said it was unfortunate that while the nation is suffering from fuel shortages, government representatives continue to deny the crisis and issue misleading claims.

He noted that people across the country are unable to get fuel despite waiting in lines for hours on end at the filling stations, creating a multifaceted crisis in public life.

Taking the floor later, the opposition leader said, “If the ruling party feels it is necessary, we can form a common committee to fully address this issue and find a comprehensive solution. We have some proposals, which we will hand over to you, since execution will be through the government.

“We can only cooperate by offering advice … . The government may adopt what it finds useful and discard what it considers irrelevant -- there is no problem with that. We want to sit with an open heart.”

Shafiqur added, “But we do hope that our sincere submissions will not be rejected unnecessarily -- for the sake of the country and the nation.”

State Minister for Energy Aninda Islam Amit said the government has been acting responsibly to tackle the current fuel situation triggered by turmoil in the Middle East.

He noted that reserves are secured until May and efforts are underway to extend them through July.

After the war broke out, fuel prices rose by 38 percent in Pakistan, 40 percent in Sri Lanka, and 50 percent in the United States. Meanwhile, India restructured its tariff system. In contrast, Bangladesh increased prices by only 10-17 percent. Considering the farmers, the government initially avoided price adjustments despite mounting pressure.

“We had to make this adjustment based on practical realities,” Aninda said, adding that long lines of bikers and cars at pumps do not reflect the actual state of fuel supply.

Opposition MP Masud Parves, from Jamaat-e-Islami, said farmers had to travel 15-20 kilometers for irrigation but received only two-three liters of fuel.

“Alongside the fuel price hike, LPG [Liquefied petroleum gas] prices have also been raised, and it is not available at the government-fixed rate,” he said, adding that business leaders are saying that fuel shortage has already transferred many work orders from Bangladesh to neighbouring countries.

Another opposition MP from the Jamaat-led alliance, National Citizen Party’s Atiqur Rahman Mujahid blamed the government’s domestic and international management failure for the current fuel situation. He said a lack of accurate information has provoked public uncertainty.

He added that forming a national crisis committee with members from both treasury and opposition benches would be a solution.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed rejected claims of a “fuel crisis”. “Have any mills or factories shut down? Are schools and colleges closed? Cultivation is continuing as normal -- then where is the crisis?”

Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood said the government has increased the supply to the pumps since the war on Iran began. He added that some queues at petrol stations are being crowded by individuals with dishonest intentions, preventing genuine consumers from getting fuel.

He questioned whether everyone in line genuinely needed fuel, or if some riders were simply trying to resell it for profit.

“The so-called crisis being talked about does not exist; we are supplying as much fuel as required.”