Petrol pumps across Bangladesh are facing difficulties meeting growing fuel demand, leading to long queues of vehicles and many drivers returning without fuel.
Since Saturday morning, filling stations in Dhaka have seen a surge of cars and motorcycles as people rush to purchase petrol and octane. Many drivers have been waiting in line for hours, but some are leaving empty-handed due to the government’s newly introduced fuel rationing measures.
Several petrol pumps reported that they have been forced to stop selling fuel once their daily quota is exhausted. The situation has caused frustration among customers, with occasional disputes breaking out between motorists and pump operators.
Drivers have urged the authorities to strengthen oversight of petrol pumps to ensure fair distribution and prevent irregularities.
Petrol pump owners, however, say their supply from fuel depots has been lower than usual. According to them, the main reason behind the current situation is the sudden spike in demand compared with normal consumption levels.
Similar scenes have also been reported outside the capital, with petrol pumps and supply depots in several districts experiencing large crowds of vehicles.
On Friday, the government introduced limits on fuel purchases per vehicle in an effort to prevent panic buying and manage supplies amid global disruptions linked to the ongoing US-Israel conflict involving Iran.
Under the new restrictions, motorcycles are allowed to buy up to 2 litres of petrol or octane per visit, while private cars can purchase a maximum of 10 litres. Jeeps and microbuses are permitted to buy between 20 and 25 litres. Pickup trucks and local diesel-powered buses are limited to 70 to 80 litres, while long-distance buses and trucks may receive between 200 and 220 litres per visit.
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