Fuel delays, uncertainty cause long queues across Dhaka

Despite uninterrupted Eid holidays, fuel shortages and long queues persisted at filling stations across Dhaka on Thursday, causing significant inconvenience for drivers.

While authorities maintain that supply is normal, delays, uncertainty, and high demand have forced motorists to wait for hours.

Observations from areas including Uttara, Abdullahpur, Malibagh, Mohammadpur, and Kakoli revealed long lines of motorcycles and private vehicles stretching onto adjacent roads, slowing traffic.

In several stations, workers struggled to manage the rush, with motorists reporting intermittent fuel supply. Motorcyclists queued under the sun, while private vehicle drivers in Mohammadpur returned without fuel due to shortages of petrol and octane

Additionally, sales were temporarily suspended in some stations as overnight stock ran out, and long queues delayed service even after new supplies arrived. Drivers highlighted the uncertainty of when fuel would be available as a major challenge.

Nayem Hasan, a mortorcyclists, who waited over an hour, said, “Fuel supply stops and resumes unpredictably, making the wait very difficult.”

Station officials and pump owners said there was no shortage of supply; the surge in demand during the holiday and delays in delivery vehicles caused temporary congestion.

Industry sources noted that removing rationing led to accumulated demand, creating additional pressure at the pumps.

The combination of high holiday demand, accumulated post-rationing requirements, and distribution delays has kept fuel lines long, limiting relief for Dhaka commuters during the Eid break.

Moreover, recent international oil price volatility and supply chain disruptions have further complicated local distribution, even as government-to-government imports partially stabilized supply.