TDS Desk:

Filling stations across the country have run dry on Sunday following a decrease in fuel prices by Tk6 per unit.

Many customers have been moving from one station to another in search of fuel, only to be turned away by pump staff. Since Saturday night, several petrol stations in Dhaka have stopped providing fuel, and by Sunday morning, most pumps in the city were effectively closed.

“I’ve visited about 10 stations in the Shyamoli and Asadgate areas since this morning, and all of them claimed they had no fuel. The pump authorities are refusing to sell fuel under the pretext of falling prices. If the price had increased, they would still be selling,” said a motorcyclist who attempted to refuel at a petrol station in the Dhanmondi area.

A worker at a pump near Motsho Bhaban stated that the fuel reserves at the station had nearly run out overnight following news of the price reduction. “We are unable to meet customer demand because the new oil deliveries did not arrive on Sunday morning. As a result, the pump couldn’t supply fuel,” he explained.

Mohammad Nazmul Haque, president of the Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petrol Pump Owners Association, acknowledged a ‘small crisis’ every Sunday morning, as oil transport vehicles do not operate on weekends.

“This is normal, but Monday’s delay is slightly longer than usual because, when fuel prices fluctuate, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) audit team visits each depot to check stock levels before releasing new supplies. The situation might improve by Sunday evening,” Haque said.