Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has intentionally appointed seven more vessels for supply of furnace oil to the foreign ships in the Chittagong Port without inviting fresh tender causing a colossal loss to the nation.
It may be mentioned that six vessels were earlier appointed for this purpose which remained idle most of the time. But the BPC has appointed seven more ships for this purpose without any tender.
The BPC said, Jamuna Oil Company Limited (JOCL), a state-owned Oil Marketing Company is supplying the furnace oil (FO) to the foreign ships arriving in the Chittagong Port.
When contacted a senior official of JOCL told it had placed a proposal as per the directive of the ministry. But it had mentioned to appoint them through tender.
When contacted, the Chairman of BPC told the Independent, it carried out the order of the ministry. 
It may be mentioned that the BPC had earlier seven ships of five enterprises on February 19 last. But within two months, the BPC had cancelled the appointment of those vessels and seven vessels of four enterprises were appointed on April 23 last.
According to JOCL sources, they are supplying 2.20 lakh metric tonnes of FO to both local and foreign ships against the total demand of 3 lakh tonnes annually. The rest of the demands are met by some private oil suppliers. Of the supplied 2.20 lakh metric tones, JOCL is supplying around 20,000 MTs of FO to local ships which is less than 10% of the total supply.
Sources said, there was no tender for transporting the furnace oil to the foreign ships from tankers since 1991 last. Only two organisations are engaged in supplying fuel to the ships since 1991 last. But they have filed a case with the Supreme Court for enhancement of transportation rate in 2007 last.
Meanwhile, some businessmen of the city involved in this business had earlier appealed to the government to appoint the firms for transportation of fuel to the ships through fresh tender after the prompt disposal of the case now pending with the Supreme Court.