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Published : 29 Mar 2026, 06:19 PM
Fuel supplies have come to a halt across eight districts in Rangpur Division as tank lorry workers launched an indefinite strike, protesting the imprisonment and fining of three colleagues on charges of fuel theft.
The Rangpur Divisional Tank Lorry Workers’ Union suspended all operations at the Parbatipur Railhead Oil Depot in Dinajpur from 8am on Sunday.
Union President Ataur Rahman told bdnews24.com that fuel supply to Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh, and Thakurgaon has been completely stopped.
Ataur added that eight districts’ pump owners and stakeholders have joined in solidarity, intensifying the disruption across the region.
The strike stems from a mobile court drive conducted on Saturday night by Executive Magistrate Niaz Bhuiyan.
The court sentenced three workers -- Ekramul Islam, Shri Krishna Chandra Das, and Md Rifat Islam -- to six months of simple imprisonment and fined them Tk 100,000 each after they were reportedly caught stealing petrol from a lorry.
However, union leaders have contested the charges, claiming the workers were merely repairing a mechanical fault near Nilphamari Mashiur Rahman Degree College while transporting fuel from the Jamuna Oil Company.
“Our innocent workers have been punished without cause. They were simply repairing the vehicle," said Ataur.
He demanded the immediate release of the workers and a formal investigation, warning of “tougher programmes” if their demands are not met.
Parbatipur Railhead Oil Depot in-charge Ahsan Habib said no tank lorries arrived at the depot on Sunday morning, halting fuel dispatch.
He added that the depot currently holds 3.2 million litres of diesel, 65,000 litres of petrol, and 84,000 litres of octane, and supply will resume once the strike ends.
Pump owners also voiced frustration over enforcement actions.
Shamsul Haque, owner of Messrs Haque Filling Station, said his stock of 5,000 litres of petrol and 6,000 litres of diesel was depleted by late morning.
Raja Ahmed, owner of Raja Filling Station, said magistrates were imposing fines on pump owners without sufficient cause, leading to losses.
Nil Sagar Filling Station Manager Jikrul Haque said most pumps in the district had already run out of fuel, forcing closures since morning, and called for urgent administrative intervention.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Jyoti Bikash Chandra said the mobile court acted in accordance with the law and that the verdict can be challenged through appeal.
