DHAKA, Mar 27 (V7N) – A severe fuel shortage has paralyzed the capital’s transportation network as a majority of filling stations in Dhaka hung "No Fuel" signboards overnight. Motorists, particularly motorcycle riders and private car owners, found themselves stranded Thursday night after moving from one station to another only to find pumps shuttered or guarded by exhausted staff.

The Root of the Shortage

While the government maintains that national fuel reserves are adequate, a combination of logistical failures and external pressures has created a critical gap at the pump:

  • Banking Deadlock: The seven-day Eid banking holiday (March 17–23) prevented dealers from issuing the necessary pay orders to lift fuel from state-owned depots. This created a massive backlog that the distribution chain is still struggling to clear.

  • Depot Closures: Many fuel depots remained closed during the extended Eid break, halting the regular flow of petrol and octane to the capital.

  • Panic Buying: Fueled by social media rumors and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, thousands of consumers have been "tanking up" and hoarding fuel, causing daily allocations to be exhausted within a few hours.

Current Market Status

At major points like Bijoy Sarani, Mirpur-14, and Shahbagh, queues of motorcycles and cars stretched for nearly half a kilometer before stations were forced to stop sales.

  • Octane and Petrol: These are currently the most scarce, as they are largely produced or refined domestically and have seen the highest surge in "artificial demand."

  • Diesel: While supply remains slightly more stable, the disruption is already affecting inland shipping and goods transport from Chattogram Port, sparking fears of a hike in essential commodity prices.

Official Response

The Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association issued an emergency statement on Friday, urging the public not to panic. Convener Syed Sazzadul Karim Kabul expressed optimism that the situation would return to full normalcy by Saturday, March 28, as fresh consignments from depots reach the city.

Simultaneously, Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan and Power Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood have reiterated that there is no plan to increase fuel prices and warned against hoarding. The government has deployed mobile courts to monitor distribution and prevent "mob culture" at the pumps, where several incidents of vandalism were reported earlier this week.

END/SMA?AJ