Fuel shortage of petrol pumps in several districts

A shortage of fuel supply at filling stations across several districts of Bangladesh has caused significant hardship for drivers since the day after Eid al-Fitr. Many petrol pumps have remained closed due to a lack of petrol and octane.

Along the Panchagarh–Dinajpur regional highway, 43 out of 46 filling stations across a 93-kilometre stretch have been shut down. In Kurigram District, all 20 fuel stations have run out of fuel and have remained closed since Sunday. As a result, thousands of customers across the district have been forced to return without fuel, expressing frustration over the situation.

People associated with filling stations say depots are supplying only about half of the required petrol, while octane supply has completely stopped. Diesel is comparatively available, but only about 60–70 percent of demand is being met. Facing angry customers and unable to provide fuel, many station owners have decided to keep their pumps closed.

Most filling stations closed in Rajshahi

More than half of the 44 filling stations in Rajshahi are closed, while the rest have little or no fuel available. As a result, drivers are returning empty-handed after visiting pumps.

Local journalist Mahi Ilahi said he visited around 20 pumps across the district and the city from Monday morning to afternoon but failed to find fuel anywhere.

Anisur Rahman Shimul, general secretary of the Rajshahi District Petrol Pump Owners’ Association, said the fuel reserves at pumps had already been exhausted before Eid.

“Our tanker trucks went to the Baghabari depot, which normally carries about 13,500 litres of fuel. But we received only 3,000 litres,” he said, adding that only diesel is currently being supplied, while petrol and octane remain unavailable.

He also warned that disorder could occur when fuel sales resume due to the large number of waiting customers and requested deployment of the army at filling stations to maintain order.

43 filling stations closed on Panchagarh–Dinajpur road

Drivers in Panchagarh District, Thakurgaon District and Dinajpur District have been suffering due to the lack of fuel supply since the day after Eid.

Some customers alleged that certain station owners are stockpiling fuel in anticipation of a price increase. In smaller markets, petrol is reportedly being sold on the black market at Tk 250 to Tk 300 per litre.

Of the 46 filling stations along the Panchagarh–Dinajpur regional highway, 25 stations between Panchagarh and the Thakurgaon border remain closed due to the absence of petrol and octane.

Between Birganj and Dinajpur, only three out of 21 stations are selling petrol. Long queues of customers have formed at these stations, with some arriving on motorcycles and others standing in line with bottles to collect fuel.

Pump workers say each tanker truck normally carries diesel, petrol, and octane in three separate chambers. However, recently they have been receiving only diesel from depots, leaving the other two chambers empty. This has also increased transportation costs.

Fuel demand at pumps usually ranges from 700 to 1,500 litres of petrol and 350 to 700 litres of octane daily, while diesel demand stands between 2,000 and 3,500 litres. Station owners said they received only half of their usual supply before Eid, which quickly ran out.

One filling station owner in Thakurgaon said he received 3,500 litres of petrol after three days and planned to distribute it through rationing, limiting each customer to fuel worth Tk 200.

Meanwhile, a pump employee in Panchagarh said even ambulances could not be provided with fuel due to the severe shortage, adding that customers are trying to buy more fuel out of fear that the crisis may worsen.

Chattogram: many pumps remain closed

Several petrol pumps in Chattogram have been facing severe fuel shortages over the past few days, leaving many stations either partially stocked or completely closed. Some pumps have octane but no diesel, while others have diesel but no octane, causing serious inconvenience for drivers.

According to sources from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the Chattogram division has 383 petrol pumps, 799 agent distributors, and 255 packed point dealers.

Mohammad Mainuddin, member-secretary of the Chattogram Division Petrol Pump Owners’ Association, told Bangla Tribune, “There are around 46 petrol pumps in Chattogram city. Some pumps have diesel but no octane, while others have octane but no diesel. We expect this shortage to be resolved by Tuesday afternoon. Banks were closed during the Eid holidays, preventing pay orders for fuel purchases, which delayed supply. Once banks reopen and pay orders are processed, we expect normal fuel distribution by Tuesday afternoon.”

Mymensingh: most stations remain closed

In Mymensingh, most filling stations have been closed since the morning of Eid, causing severe difficulties for drivers, particularly motorbike riders. A few stations briefly opened over the weekend to provide fuel.

Saiful Filling Station, near the city’s police lines, remained closed from the morning of Eid until Monday evening. Manager Kamrul Hasan said, “Our fuel stock was exhausted the night before Eid. The station has been closed since the morning of Eid due to lack of fuel. We will reopen once supplies are received.”

Churkhai Rawshan Filling Station has also been closed since the day before Eid, according to employee Shafiqul Islam, because all fuel had been used and staff had left for Eid holidays.

However, Shikarikanda Saudagar Filling Station reopened briefly on Monday afternoon for about two hours to supply drivers with limited fuel. Employee Romjan said the remaining fuel stock was very low, and the station closed again in the afternoon once the supply ran out.

The shortage has left drivers frustrated and highlights ongoing challenges in maintaining consistent fuel distribution across districts.

Closed dozens of petrol pumps in Kurigram

A severe fuel crisis has gripped Kurigram, forcing the closure of 20 petrol stations from Sunday, as every station ran completely out of petrol, diesel, and octane. Thousands of customers were left frustrated, unable to buy fuel, highlighting the extreme inconvenience caused by the shortage.

Officials from the Kurigram District Administration launched inspections to verify fuel stocks after widespread reports of empty pumps. The inspections, overseen by Deputy Commissioner Annapurna Debnath, found that most stations still lacked sufficient fuel. At the SS Filling Station in Khalilganj, some customers reportedly became agitated and attempted to attack the premises, though the police quickly restored order. Police patrols were visible at the station on Sunday evening to maintain security.

According to the district’s Fuel Pump Owners Association, all 20 stations in Kurigram are completely out of fuel. Owners have been instructed to keep the pumps closed until supplies are restored. General Secretary Jaman Ahmed said, “Owners are forced to close pumps due to lack of fuel, but customers become frustrated and sometimes aggressive. In some cases, staff have even faced attempted attacks, leaving us in a state of insecurity.”

Bogura: 35 out of 72 pumps remain closed

The fuel crisis has also severely affected Bogura, where more than half of the 72 filling stations across 12 upazilas have run out of petrol, diesel, and octane. This has disrupted transportation and left drivers facing extreme difficulties.

Mizanur Rahman Ratan, president of the Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association, Rajshahi Division, told reporters that the shortage is caused by irregular fuel supply. “Some fuel is arriving today, which should slightly ease the situation,” he said.

According to the association, fuel deliveries from BPC’s Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna Oil Companies have been inconsistent, with stations receiving more or less than their required amounts. Over the past few days, this has significantly reduced available stocks. During Eid, high demand further depleted supplies, and by Monday morning, several pumps were forced to close as they ran completely out of fuel. By Monday afternoon, 35 out of the 72 pumps in Bogura were confirmed empty and officially closed.

The ongoing shortages in Kurigram and Bogura highlight the critical challenges in fuel distribution, leaving both customers and fuel station owners struggling to cope.

Fuel shortage hits Rangpur

The ongoing fuel crisis in Bangladesh continues to disrupt transportation across multiple districts. In Rangpur, more than half of the 40 filling stations are out of fuel, with at least 20 pumps officially closed as of Monday evening.

Station officials reported that supply trucks arriving in Parbatipur failed to deliver any fuel, forcing closures from midday onward. Frustrated drivers expressed anger at the lack of monitoring by the district administration.

Mustofa Mohsin, organizational secretary of the Rangpur Fuel Pump Owners Association, confirmed that over 20 stations remain closed due to insufficient deliveries.

Fuel shortage hits Khulna

In Khulna, 36 out of the district’s petrol pumps are currently shut. Mohibul Hasan, vice president of the Khulna District Petrol Pump Owners Association, explained that all pumps are under strain because supplies from the depot are insufficient to meet demand.

Sultan Mahmud Pintu, president of the Khulna Divisional Tank Lorry Owners Association, added that even when banks remain open for payments, depot deliveries fall short, and pumps quickly run out of fuel.

Consequently, keeping pumps operational has become difficult until new deliveries arrive.

Fuel shortage hits Barishal

The situation in Barishal is similarly severe. Most petrol pumps along the highways of the city and surrounding ten upazilas are unable to supply diesel, petrol, or octane consistently. Staff are marking pumps with notices like “Diesel-Octane/Petrol Not Available.”

Officials said that pumps cannot operate for more than 12 hours within a 24-hour period due to low stock. Open pumps often face angry customers, disputes, and even threats against staff, making temporary closures necessary.

Shaukat Akbar, general secretary of the Barishal Petrol Pump and Tank Lorry Owners Association, noted that government allocations are insufficient even for 10 hours of operation, forcing most pumps to remain closed for the majority of the day. Approximately 100 petrol pumps are in the district, all struggling to meet demand, leaving businesses at risk of severe losses.