Which bitumen grade do Bangladeshi road agencies specify?

Penetration 60/70. The Roads and Highways Department's specification for bituminous materials sets 60/70 at 60 to 70 dmm penetration with a softening point of 48 to 56 °C, 100 cm minimum ductility and 99.0% minimum solubility. In July 2018 the government decided to use only 60/70 on roads, on a BUET report. LGED's rural road standards still allow 80/100 (80 to 100 dmm, softening point 45 to 52 °C under the RHD table) but name 60/70 as preferable, so a contractor's project specification decides.

How much bitumen does Bangladesh make, and how much does it import?

In the 2018-19 financial year demand was 510,000 t: the state refinery at Patenga produced 60,000 t and 450,000 t was imported, and demand was growing by 10 to 15% a year. The refinery runs on imported crude, about 4,500 t a day, and stopped from 14 April to 8 May 2026 when crude cargoes were disrupted, so its bitumen output cannot be relied on to cover a programme.

What testing does imported bitumen need at Chattogram?

Since May 2021 an amendment to the Import Policy Order has required imported petroleum bitumen to be tested and approved by BSTI, BUET or Eastern Refinery before it is released from the port. The cargo should therefore carry an independent certificate from loading for penetration, softening point and ductility, so the port test confirms rather than discovers the grade.

Bulk or drums into Chattogram?

Both trade. In 2021 the domestic market quoted bitumen at Tk 6,800 to 7,200 a drum and Tk 39,300 to 42,000 a tonne in bulk. Hot bulk on a heated bitumen tanker needs heated tankage at the receiver; new steel drums suit importers and contractors without it. Send the receiving arrangement with the enquiry.

Which origins supply Bangladesh?

Bangladesh does not report its imports to UN Comtrade, and the exporters who do report cover only part of the trade. In 2023 they declared 194,863 t to Bangladesh, the UAE 11,215 t at about USD 791/t and India 3,076 t at USD 632/t, with other origins making up the rest; in 2022 the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and India declared smaller lots. Every lot CBIL brokers carries a certificate of origin naming the refinery.

Indian Ocean · Bangladesh

Bitumen CFR Chattogram, Bangladesh: Penetration 60/70 for Road Works

A road-building market that makes about a tenth of its bitumen at one state refinery and imports the rest through Chattogram

Bangladesh builds its roads on imported bitumen. In the 2018-19 financial year demand was 510,000 t, rising by 10 to 15% a year, and Eastern Refinery, the state refinery at Patenga in Chattogram, produced 60,000 t of it; the other 450,000 t was imported. The refinery cannot close the gap: it processes about 4,500 t of crude a day, mainly Arabian Light and Murban, and in 2026 it stopped refining from 14 April to 8 May after crude cargoes were disrupted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Bangladesh has not reported its own imports to UN Comtrade since before 2022, so the origins are read from the exporters, and only part of the trade is visible that way. Exporters declared 194,863 t to Bangladesh in 2023, of which the UAE shipped 11,215 t (5.8%) at about USD 791/t and India 3,076 t (1.6%) at USD 632/t, with other origins making up the rest; in 2022 they declared 161,541 t, with the UAE at 21,239 t (13.1%), Singapore 5,015 t (3.1%), Malaysia 3,500 t (2.2%), South Korea 2,204 t and India 2,052 t. The grade is settled by specification: the Roads and Highways Department's technical specification for bituminous materials sets penetration 60/70 at 60 to 70 dmm with a softening point of 48 to 56 °C, and 80/100 at 80 to 100 dmm and 45 to 52 °C, both at 100 cm minimum ductility and 99.0% solubility. In 2018 the government decided to use only 60/70 on roads, asked the refinery to stop making 80/100 and the commerce ministry to restrict imports to 60/70. LGED's rural road standards still allow 80/100 but name 60/70 as preferable.

CBIL is a commodity brokerage company and brokers bitumen 60/70, and 80/100 where a project specification allows it, CFR Chattogram: hot bulk on heated bitumen tankers for receivers with heated tankage, and new steel drums for importers and contractors without it. Both forms trade locally; in 2021 the domestic market was quoted at Tk 6,800 to 7,200 a drum and Tk 39,300 to 42,000 a tonne in bulk. Every lot ships against an independent certificate of penetration, softening point and ductility at loading and a certificate of origin naming the refinery. Since May 2021 an amendment to the Import Policy Order has required imported petroleum bitumen to be tested and approved by BSTI, BUET or Eastern Refinery before it leaves the port, so the cargo is sampled again on arrival. UNCTAD TRAINS records 0% applied customs duty on 2713.20 for 2023; supplementary and regulatory duty, VAT and advance taxes are confirmed by the importer's clearing agent against the current NBR schedule before a price is worked. Send the grade, the quantity, bulk or drums (and the drum size), the importer of record, the delivery month and the payment terms, and the enquiry is screened and worked against them.

Also on this lane: Bitumen 80/100 · Drummed Bitumen

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices bitumen tanker and drummed bitumen freight on LaycanDesk.

The market in figures

Demand and supply, FY2018-19: Demand 510,000 t · state refinery output 60,000 t · imports 450,000 t · demand growing 10-15% a year
Exporters' declared shipments to Bangladesh, 2023: 194,863 t · UAE 11,215 t (5.8%) at ~USD 791/t · India 3,076 t (1.6%) at USD 632/t · other origins the rest
Exporters' declared shipments, 2022: 161,541 t · UAE 13.1% · Singapore 3.1% · Malaysia 2.2% · South Korea 1.4% · India 1.3%
RHD specification, penetration grades: 60/70: 60-70 dmm, softening point 48-56 °C · 80/100: 80-100 dmm, 45-52 °C · ductility 100 cm min · solubility 99.0% min
Grade policy: 60/70 only on roads (government decision, July 2018) · LGED: 60/70 preferable, 80/100 allowed
Port release: Imported bitumen tested and approved by BSTI, BUET or Eastern Refinery before release (Import Policy Order amendment, May 2021)
State refinery, 2026: About 4,500 t of crude a day · refining stopped 14 April to 8 May 2026 for lack of crude
Customs duty: 0% applied MFN customs duty on HS 2713.20 (2023, two national lines) · supplementary and regulatory duty, VAT and advance taxes confirmed against the current NBR schedule

Landed values are the importing country's declared CIF, not CBIL prices.

Questions buyers ask

Which bitumen grade do Bangladeshi road agencies specify?: Penetration 60/70. The Roads and Highways Department's specification for bituminous materials sets 60/70 at 60 to 70 dmm penetration with a softening point of 48 to 56 °C, 100 cm minimum ductility and 99.0% minimum solubility. In July 2018 the government decided to use only 60/70 on roads, on a BUET report. LGED's rural road standards still allow 80/100 (80 to 100 dmm, softening point 45 to 52 °C under the RHD table) but name 60/70 as preferable, so a contractor's project specification decides.
How much bitumen does Bangladesh make, and how much does it import?: In the 2018-19 financial year demand was 510,000 t: the state refinery at Patenga produced 60,000 t and 450,000 t was imported, and demand was growing by 10 to 15% a year. The refinery runs on imported crude, about 4,500 t a day, and stopped from 14 April to 8 May 2026 when crude cargoes were disrupted, so its bitumen output cannot be relied on to cover a programme.
What testing does imported bitumen need at Chattogram?: Since May 2021 an amendment to the Import Policy Order has required imported petroleum bitumen to be tested and approved by BSTI, BUET or Eastern Refinery before it is released from the port. The cargo should therefore carry an independent certificate from loading for penetration, softening point and ductility, so the port test confirms rather than discovers the grade.
Bulk or drums into Chattogram?: Both trade. In 2021 the domestic market quoted bitumen at Tk 6,800 to 7,200 a drum and Tk 39,300 to 42,000 a tonne in bulk. Hot bulk on a heated bitumen tanker needs heated tankage at the receiver; new steel drums suit importers and contractors without it. Send the receiving arrangement with the enquiry.
Which origins supply Bangladesh?: Bangladesh does not report its imports to UN Comtrade, and the exporters who do report cover only part of the trade. In 2023 they declared 194,863 t to Bangladesh, the UAE 11,215 t at about USD 791/t and India 3,076 t at USD 632/t, with other origins making up the rest; in 2022 the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and India declared smaller lots. Every lot CBIL brokers carries a certificate of origin naming the refinery.