Published : 22 Mar 2026, 11:44 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 03:30 PM
Dhaka residents are spending hours crisscrossing the city in search of fuel, only to find most pumps dry and the few still operating overwhelmed by long, slow-moving queues.
Ziaul Kabir Murad, a resident of Lalbagh, rode his motorbike across at least 10 filling stations in different areas without success. After hours of searching, he finally spotted fuel being dispensed at the Trust Filling Station in Bijoy Sarani and joined the queue.
He had been waiting since 9:30am. By around 1:30pm, just as he approached the pump, sales to motorbikes were abruptly halted.
Frustration quickly spread among riders who had queued for hours. Many, including Murad, demanded explanations from pump staff, leading to heated arguments.
Police and Army personnel were called in to maintain order.
Multiple notices reading “octane sales suspended” were hung around the station.
A staff member repeatedly told bikers that announcements had already been made over loudspeakers, urging them to leave the premises, even seeking police assistance to disperse the crowd.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a pump worker said: “Where will we get fuel if there isn’t any? We have a small amount left -- once that’s gone, we’ll stop supplying to cars too. We’re selling as long as it lasts.”
A notice at the station stated that octane sales would resume on Monday “subject to availability”, while diesel sales would “continue as usual”.
The worker added: “Depots are closed during Eid, and they’re still closed [on Sunday]. We’ll try to bring fuel tomorrow. As soon as it’s available, we’ll resume sales.”
Although octane sales to motorbikes had been halted, fuel was still being supplied to cars, prompting bikers to plead for at least small quantities.
Tejgaon Police chief Kaysainyu Marma said the pump authorities alerted police fearing unrest.
“The motorcyclists were shouting, so they called the station. A police team went there, and Army personnel are also present. There’s no major issue otherwise,” he said.
The crisis comes amid global concerns over fuel supply disruptions linked to tensions in the Middle East and Strait of Hormuz blockade, which triggered panic buying in Bangladesh.
To stabilise supply, the government imposed limits on petrol, octane and diesel sales from Mar 6.
Later, the cap for motorcycles was raised from 2 litres to 5 litres, and overall rationing was reduced from 25 percent to 15 percent.
On Mar 15, the government lifted rationing altogether, citing Eid travel and the agricultural season.
Despite assurances of “normal supply”, long queues were seen at various Dhaka pumps during the Eid holidays.
Mohammad Nazmul Haque, president of the Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents and Petrol Pump Owners Association, said most pumps were shut on Sunday due to a lack of fuel.
“That’s why the few pumps that are selling have very long queues,” he said.
He warned that the situation would not improve until banks reopen.
“We don’t have pay orders. Without pay orders, even if depots open, we can’t lift fuel.”
Back at Trust Filling Station, Murad voiced his frustration: “You can see they’re supplying to cars. They announced earlier they’d continue till 1:30pm, or until fuel runs out.
“They’re in business -- they know how much they have. If supply is low, they could reduce quantities and serve everyone. I’ve been in line since 9:30am -- how can they say there’s no fuel just as I reach the front?”
Before arriving there, he had visited pumps in Paribagh, Asad Gate, Rayerbazar and Nilkhet. While some had diesel, none had octane or petrol.
“We need fuel to move. Everywhere, they’ve just hung notices saying ‘no octane or petrol’. What can we do? We can’t force them,” he said.
Another biker, identified only as Rakib, had been waiting since 11am.
“The line isn’t moving, and when I get closer, I hear sales are stopped. They kept us waiting for hours and now say there’s no fuel. One car could get enough fuel to serve 10 bikes. At least give a little to everyone so we can all get moving.”
Arguments between bikers and pump authorities continued even in the presence of law enforcers. After about half an hour, at around 2pm, an announcement was made: each motorbike would receive fuel worth Tk 200.
For cars, staff said they were dispensing 10 litres each “until supplies last”.
The decision brought some relief, as riders who had waited for hours were no longer leaving empty-handed. But uncertainty persisted, with warnings that fuel could run out at any moment -- even as the queue stretched close to Jahangir Gate.
Sohel, another biker waiting near the Prime Minister’s Office, said he had checked every pump from Uttara without success before joining the line here.
Despite being on Eid leave, the private-sector employee needed to travel for work-related inspections and had nearly run out of fuel.
Standing in line, he said with resignation: “I’m waiting -- if it’s in my fate, I’ll get it. If not, what can I do?”
Elsewhere in the city, the situation was no better. Pumps such as Eureka Enterprise near Mohakhali’s RAOWA Club, Gulshan Service Station in Amtali, and Crescent Automobiles were found completely closed.
City and Southern pumps at Saat Rasta and Tejgaon were also shut. Only the Clean Fuel station near Mohakhali Bus Terminal was operational in the area, drawing long queues of cars and motorbikes.
At Khaleq Service Centre in Kalyanpur, the premises were partially cordoned off.
Some motorists approached but left upon finding no staff present.
Eventually, a worker identified only as Mostafa emerged and said: “There was a little diesel [on Saturday]. [On Sunday] there’s nothing. The depot is closed -- sales will resume when fuel arrives.”
At Sohrab Service Station nearby, two employees sat idle on benches, signalling “no fuel” to approaching vehicles from a distance.
Mahfuzur Rahman Rabbi, another worker, said: “What can we do when fuel runs out? We sold what we had. [On Sunday], it finished while serving a single car. We’ll start again when supplies come.”
Nazmul reiterated that the crisis was tied to banking closures.
“Banks have been shut for days. Without them, we can’t issue pay orders. Even if depots reopen, we’ll still have to wait.”
He noted that while some owners had managed to stock extra pay orders using their own capital before the holidays, others could not.
“In the past, we didn’t see such crises during holidays because banks weren’t closed for so long,” he said.
Another association leader recalled that pump owners were once allowed to collect fuel using cheques during extended holidays.
However, repeated issues with encashment led the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation to scrap that system under the previous government.
For now, motorists across Dhaka remain stuck in long queues, uncertain whether they will get fuel -- or return home empty-handed.
