Authorities seize 7,000 liters of diesel during night raid in Shariatpur

Shariatpur authorities seized 7,000 liters of illegally stored diesel from a business premises in Bhojeshwar Bazar of Naria Upazila, on Tuesday night (March 31).

The businessman, Jewel Sardar, was fined Tk 10,000 by a mobile court.

The confiscated diesel is scheduled to be sold at a public auction for distribution to farmers. The proceeds from the auctioned fuel will be deposited in the government treasury.

According to the Upazila administration, Sardar transported the diesel via tanker, originally intended for a supplier in Jhalokathi, but stored it illegally at his Naria facility. The raid was conducted immediately after officials, led by Assistant Commissioner (Land) Laki Das, received a tip-off.

During an interrogation, Sardar admitted to storing the diesel without proper licensing.

Under petroleum laws, he was fined for unauthorised stockpiling amid a nationwide diesel shortage.

Sardar told reporters, “Supplying diesel, fertilisers, and seeds to farmers is my business. I collected the diesel from the Barishal depot but did not realise storing it here was not allowed during the current shortage.”