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Published : 25 Mar 2026, 05:02 PM
Most of the pumps in Dinajpur are closed due to a shortage of fuel oil. Some filling stations cannot meet the demand, while others are selling fuel under rationing systems, leaving customers frustrated.
Customers are swarming to any pumps that are reported to be open. Even after waiting for hours, they sometimes get only a bit of fuel. Others aren’t getting any. The situation is stirring unrest.
Though there are no issues with diesel, the shortage of octane and petrol is worsening by the day, customers say.
Such was the situation at the filling stations in Dinajpur Sadar Upazila on Wednesday.
Motorcycle driver Sultan Mahmud was agitated after waiting three and a half hours to get fuel at Dinajpur Petroleum Filling Station. He said he got in line around 9:30am and was finally able to fill his vehicle around 1pm. Even then, he only received Tk 500 worth of fuel, not a full tank.
“The government says there I sufficient oil and no shortage in oil supply. Then why are the filling stations unable to meet the demand for oil? Why are most of the pumps closed?”
Nearly every customer echoed Sultan’s sentiments.
Kabir Hossain, a worker at a non-government development organisation, said: “If the government does not have an oil problem, why is oil not being supplied to all filling stations? If oil was regularly being supplied to all filling stations was normal, we wouldn’t be in such a situation.”
Lablu, the owner of Dinajpur Petroleum Filling Station, said: “Oil is being supplied from the depot under a rationing system, due to which most of the filling stations are closed. People are panicking and buying more oil than they need.”
He said, “Those who used to buy Tk 200-300 of oil are now Tk 500-700 worth. Many people are buying oil even they have enough in their motorcycles. This has added to the pressure and the demand for oil has jumped severalfold. If oil could be supplied to all pumps, this problem would not have arisen.”
When asked about this, Shahin Hossain, president of the Dinajpur District Pump Owners Group, said: “Out of 92 filling stations in the district, 24 are in the Sadar Upazila. But most of the filling stations are closed as the depots are supplying less than the demand and the rationing system. As a result, motorcyclists are swarming to wherever there is oil. Tensions arise as hundreds and hundreds of motorcycles queue in the same place.
“Previously, 2,000-3,000 litres of petrol and octane were allocated to each filling station from the depot. This is how much is usually allocated under normal circumstances. Previously, it took five to six days to sell that much. Now, due to the excess demand, the oil is selling out in one or two days. As a result, the pumps are closed.”
He believes that there is no alternative to resolving the situation other than increasing the allocation.
