A joint task force seized around 1,200 litres of diesel from the residence of Moutala Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Ferdous Morol in Kaliganj Upazila of Satkhira during a drive conducted on Sunday afternoon.
The operation was carried out in Premandakati area, where a mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Ishtiaque Ahmed Apu of the district administration discovered multiple drums filled with diesel stored inside the chairman’s house.
Following the inspection, the mobile court fined the union parishad chairman Tk10,000 for illegal stockpiling of fuel.
Authorities said the seized diesel has been handed over to the officer-in-charge of Kaliganj Police Station for further legal procedures.
According to officials, the fuel was confiscated as it was being stored without proper authorisation and in violation of regulations related to fuel distribution and storage.
However, the accused chairman Ferdous Morol defended himself, claiming that he is a farmer with around 1,000 bighas of fish enclosures and operates several dewatering machines. He said the diesel had been collected from various sources for use in irrigation activities on his land.
The mobile court, however, rejected the justification and maintained that the storage was unlawful.
Officials further said that the upazila nirbahi officer has been instructed to sell the confiscated fuel at the government-fixed price and deposit the proceeds into the national treasury.
Authorities indicated that monitoring drives against illegal fuel stockpiling will continue in different parts of the district to prevent misuse and ensure market discipline.
