Fuel supply to agent dealers from three major oil depots in Bhairab has been suspended, leaving more than a hundred tank-lorries waiting in long queues outside the facilities yesterday.
Depot authorities are continuing to supply fuel to filling station dealers under a rationing system, providing only about half of the usual demand.
The three depots belong to Padma Oil Company Limited, Meghna Petroleum Limited, and Jamuna Oil Company Limited. Located along the Meghna riverbank, these depots supply fuel to dealers in 10 districts: Kishoreganj, Mymensingh, Netrokona, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, and Kurigram.
According to depot officials, the decision was taken following instructions from higher authorities. Industry insiders say the ongoing fuel crisis, linked to Middle East tensions and conflict, has begun affecting supplies at the Bhairab depots.
Md Zainal Abedin, general secretary of the Bhairab Tank-Lorry Owners Association, said there was no rationing until Thursday.
"From Sunday, fuel is being supplied only to filling stations under rationing. If tankers cannot be filled according to demand, transporting half-loaded trucks becomes costly. Many drivers are therefore refusing to take fuel under these conditions," he said.
Farhan Noor, owner of Fahad Filling Station in Brahmanbaria and general secretary of the Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association, said their pump normally requires two tankers daily, equivalent to about 18,000 litres.
"For the last two to three days, we have not received any fuel. Our storage tanks have run dry. Today, we were allocated 9,000 litres, but that is far from sufficient compared to the demand," he said.
He added that the sudden announcement of rationing by the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) chairman had created panic in the market.
"It was not appropriate to announce rationing so abruptly. As soon as the statement was made, dishonest elements began buying fuel in bulk from the market," he said.
"After hearing that, many motorcycle owners filled up their tanks completely. Some people are even storing fuel at home in containers after siphoning it out with pipes, and then going back to filling stations daily to collect two litres under rationing. This behaviour has created an artificial shortage," he added.
Md Matiur Rahman, depot in-charge of Jamuna Oil Company Limited in Bhairab, said, "Some dealers took excess fuel and stocked it. Today we have around 1.2 million litres in stock. Following instructions from higher authorities, fuel is being supplied only to filling stations under rationing," he said.
Filling stations are receiving about 25 percent less fuel than their previous allocations, whilst the depot has been instructed not to supply fuel to its 27 local agent dealers for the time being.
Md Nazim Uddin, depot in-charge of Meghna Petroleum Limited, said his depot also has around 1.2 million litres in stock and has been instructed to supply fuel only to pump owners. He added that a ship carrying fuel had already set out for the river port.
Nazmul Haque, owner of Nazmul Filling Station in Ghorashal and general secretary of the Narsingdi District Petrol Pump Owners Association, described the situation as extremely tense.
"With the current demand, it is almost at the point where customers could get into fights over fuel," he said.
