10,000 litres of diesel recovered from underground hiding in Natore, businessman fined

Authorities have discovered 10,000 litres of diesel hidden underground in water tanks in Singra, Natore. The diesel was found on Saturday afternoon in a bamboo grove in the Ninggoin Bhatopara area of the municipal town. A mobile court has fined fuel oil trader Rubel Hossain, 34, Tk 5,000 in connection with the incident.

Local administration officials said oil trader Rubel Hossain from the Thanar Mor area of the municipal town hid the diesel in water tanks hidden in a bamboo grove in Ninggoin area, approximately three kilometres away. Executive Magistrate and UNO Abdullah Al Rafat of the mobile court conducted an operation there upon receiving secret information. After finding the 10,000 litres of diesel in the bamboo grove, he fined businessman Rubel Hossain Tk 5,000. He also ordered the stored oil to be transferred to the shop within two days.

During the same period, three businessmen in Sherkol and Hatiandho bazaars in the upazila were fined Tk 8,000. Natore District Executive Magistrate Mahmudul Hasan Dipu imposed the fines under the Consumer Rights Protection Act.

UNO Abdullah Al Rafat said, "During monitoring, we received news of illegal oil hoarding in the Ninggoin area and conducted a mobile court. It was observed that oil was being illegally stored in water tanks dug in open ground, violating the law. The businessman was fined Tk 5,000 for not properly storing fuel oil according to the Fuel Oil Storage Act."

He said that four oil pumps and retail oil sellers in the upazila were also warned during drives conducted on that day.