Manager Arrested Over 50,000-Litre Fuel Discrepancy

A mobile court has detained the manager of a petrol station in Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh after authorities alleged that nearly 50,000 litres of petrol remained unaccounted for at a filling station linked to a local political figure.

The case involves a fuel outlet reportedly owned by Hafez Azizul Haque, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader. Officials said the discrepancy was uncovered during a district administration inspection carried out on Tuesday (7 April), raising serious concerns over inventory control and regulatory compliance at the facility.

The enforcement operation was led by Assistant Commissioner and Executive Magistrate Nurul Huda Monir of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, who headed the mobile court team during the surprise raid.

Investigation summary

How the discrepancy came to light

According to official sources, the probe began after confidential information suggested possible irregularities in fuel stock management at the station. Acting on the tip-off, the mobile court conducted an unannounced inspection and examined delivery invoices alongside on-site inventory records.

Investigators found that the station had received 40,500 litres of petrol between 1 and 4 April from the Bhairab Bazar depot in Kishoreganj, followed by an additional 18,000 litres on 6 and 7 April. This brought the total documented inflow to 58,500 litres.

However, during physical verification, officials reported a significant shortfall between recorded deliveries and available stock. The discrepancy prompted immediate scrutiny of the station’s operational records and storage management practices.

Adding to suspicions, officials noted that the station had displayed signage indicating that fuel was unavailable for sale, despite recent recorded deliveries.

Manager unable to explain shortage

During questioning by the mobile court, station manager Md Jalil Hossain Rifat reportedly failed to provide a coherent explanation for the missing fuel. Officials said his statements did not correspond with the documented supply and stock figures.

Following the inspection, he was detained at the scene and transferred to Gouripur Police Station. Authorities later confirmed that he had been formally shown arrested under provisions of the Special Powers Act, 1974.

A case was subsequently filed on Tuesday night by certificate assistant Afsarul Islam of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, initiating formal legal proceedings.

Court process underway

Police officials stated that the arrested manager is expected to be produced before a court on Wednesday. Investigators are now expected to determine whether the missing fuel resulted from accounting discrepancies, operational mismanagement, diversion, or deliberate misappropriation.

Owner rejects allegations

In response, station owner Hafez Azizul Haque rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing. He insisted that all fuel delivered to the station had been sold through routine commercial operations and denied any irregularity in stock handling.

He described the allegations as based on “misleading information” and maintained that daily sales records accounted for the total volume of fuel supplied during the period in question. According to him, there was no intentional mismanagement or unlawful activity involved.

Broader concerns over fuel oversight

The incident has renewed scrutiny over fuel monitoring practices at retail stations, particularly in areas where high-volume distribution is common. Authorities have increasingly relied on mobile court drives in recent years to detect irregularities in fuel storage, pricing, and distribution chains.

Experts and officials note that discrepancies between recorded deliveries and physical stock often point to gaps in monitoring systems, inadequate oversight mechanisms, or potential malpractice within supply chains.

As investigations continue, attention is expected to focus on whether this case reflects an isolated operational failure or indicates broader vulnerabilities in fuel accountability systems across privately operated filling stations.