Fuel shortage in Satkhira sparks long queues; man jailed for illegal sale
Fuel pump authorities said supply would resume once oil shipments arrive, adding that whatever fuel is being received is being sold out quickly due to high demand
Police have seized a tanker carrying 7,000 litres of petrol in Satkhira after it was intercepted by locals, as a fuel shortage in the district leads to long queues at filling stations and enforcement action against illegal sales.
The tanker was stopped by an agitated crowd in the early hours of today (30 March) while it was being transported from Khulna to Parulia in Debhata upazila. It was later handed over to the police.
The officer-in-charge of Satkhira Sadar Police Station said a dealer was taking the fuel to Parulia when the vehicle was intercepted. "We are currently verifying the details," he said.
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In a separate incident, a mobile court sentenced a man to two months' imprisonment for illegally selling fuel in bottles in the New Market intersection area of the town.
The man, Abdul Khokon, 55, was found with 24 litres of diesel and 2.5 litres of petrol. He was also fined Tk5,000, with an additional one month's imprisonment in default.
He was detained by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) around 12:30pm following a tip-off. The sentence was later handed down through a mobile court.
Meanwhile, most of the district's 28 filling stations remain closed due to a shortage of fuel, according to pump authorities.
They said supply would resume once oil shipments arrive, adding that whatever fuel is being received is being sold out quickly due to high demand.
Customers have reported long queues at the few operational pumps, including the AB Khan Filling Station in the town, where hundreds of vehicle owners were seen waiting.
Many said they had been waiting since early morning but had not received fuel even by 1pm.
Filling station authorities said 3,000 litres of petrol, 3,000 litres of octane, and 9,000 litres of diesel arrived today and would be sold until stocks run out.
The station manager said supply is not keeping pace with demand.
Pump operators also noted a sharp rise in demand, with customers questioning where large volumes of fuel are going amid the shortage.
The situation comes amid wider supply constraints and rising prices linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, contributing to fuel shortages across the country.
