Pump owners limit fuel sales despite government ending rationing

Bangladesh, heavily reliant on fuel imports, continues to face mounting energy challenges. To tackle shortages, the government had introduced fuel rationing on 6 March. However, amid growing complaints of long queues at petrol stations, authorities withdrew rationing on petrol, octane, and diesel on 15 March to ease public hardship.

Despite the official end of rationing, filling stations across Dhaka continue to impose informal limits. Most pump operators are providing no more than Tk500-600 worth of fuel for motorcycles, with similar restrictions for private cars.

Private-sector worker Salahuddin Ahmed told The Business Standard that he had to visit three stations to fuel his bike. "After finding stations in Dholai Para and Gulistan closed, I finally got fuel at a pump in Motsobhavan, standing for about an hour. Even so, the pump authorities would not provide more than Tk500 worth of fuel," he said.

A similar scene unfolded at Meghna Model Service Center in Paribagh, where bikers and car drivers lined up for over 300 meters. Operators were supplying a maximum of Tk600 worth of fuel for motorcycles and up to 10 litres for cars.

Customers complained about hours-long waits. Ride-sharing bike driver Zobayer Ahmed said, "After waiting for about an hour, I could only get close to the pump. Bikers are given a maximum of five litres of octane."

He alleged, "Pump owners, through syndicates and manipulations, have created this shortage to make higher profits. Octane is selling at Tk200 per litre in the open market. Two days after Eid, I had to buy 10 litres at Tk2,000, while the government price is Tk120 per litre."

Several stations in the capital have been closed due to shortages. Syed Sajjadul Karim Kabul, convener of the Petrol Pump Owners' Association, told TBS, "Stations outside Dhaka face an even worse situation. We are not receiving fuel from depots according to demand. For a 9,000-litre tanker, we get only 6,000 litres. For 13,500 litres, we receive 9,000 litres. Yet transportation costs remain the same, sometimes even higher, forcing some owners to close stations or reduce staff."

On self-imposed limits, he added, "Everyone comes to fill their tanks fully. This is the only way to ensure more customers get some fuel."

Yet a different picture emerged on Saturday afternoon at four Mohakhali stations, where lines were short, with 40–50 cars and a similar number of motorcycles waiting for about half an hour. Three stations imposed no limits; one limited motorcycles to Tk500 and cars to Tk3,000.

At Trust Filling Station near Bijoy Sharani, lines stretched past Jahangir Gate to the Banani flyover. Habibur Rashid said, "I've been in line since 9:30 am. It took five hours to get fuel. Trust always provides full fuel, which is why I came here despite the wait."

Another driver waiting at Jahangir Gate, Mehedi Hasan, said he had been standing in line for two hours. "At other stations, you wait for a long time only to be told the fuel has run out, which wastes your time. That's why, even though it takes longer, I came to Trust," he added.

To strengthen oversight, the government announced that a "tag officer" will be appointed for every filling station across the country. Vigilance teams have also been formed in all districts, and rewards will be given to informants reporting fuel hoarding