Fuel Shortages Spark Kilometer-Long Queues

Monday saw the continuation of severe fuel shortages across the capital, with long queues forming at numerous filling stations. Some stations have been forced to suspend petrol and diesel sales entirely, leaving drivers stranded and frustrated.

At stations where sales have ceased, motorcyclists, private car owners, and other vehicle operators still line up in the hope of purchasing diesel, petrol, or octane. Many drivers report that their tanks are nearly empty, making it impossible to drive to another station. Leaving the queue often means pushing their vehicles, a task made even more difficult during the fasting month.

At stations where fuel remains available, queues extend up to 1–1.5 kilometres. Drivers have reported waiting in line for between one and two hours.

A survey of nine key stations in Mirpur, Kallyanpur, Mohammadpur, Bijoy Sarani, and Kalshi revealed the following conditions:

In Mirpur-2, the Sam Associates Limited station had queues stretching nearly 300 metres from the Institute of Bank Management by 9 a.m., with motorcyclists forming additional lines further ahead. The station remained closed, with a security guard informing drivers that no fuel was available until delivery trucks from Narayanganj depot arrived. Cashier Arafat Swapan stated that 4,500 litres of octane delivered on Sunday afternoon were sold out by 10:30 p.m., prompting the temporary closure.

Motorcyclist Selim Mia, who works with ride-sharing apps, said he had been waiting since 7:30 a.m., emphasising the difficulty of pushing his bike while fasting.

In Kallyanpur, the Khalek filling station was only dispensing CNG, with petrol and diesel counters closed, while the neighbouring Comfort Filling & CNG Re-fuelling Station displayed “Fuel Unavailable” signs and also sold only CNG.

By 9:45 a.m., Talukdar Filling Station in Asadgate was selling both diesel and octane, but queues for private cars extended approximately 1.25 kilometres from the nearby Zia Udyan bridge. Driver Mohsin Hossain, who joined the line before 9 a.m., noted that yesterday’s queue had stretched to Manipuripara. Cashier Mohammad Azam reported that of the 27,000 litres delivered last night, 20,000 litres had been sold, leaving around 7,000 litres for the morning.

At Shewrapara, Sabur Filling Station remained closed, while A.S. Filling was dispensing only diesel. The longest queues were observed at the Trust Pump near Bijoy Sarani, where private car lines exceeded 1.5 kilometres, stretching from Jahangir Gate to Universal Medical in Mohakhali, and motorcycle lines reached the Prime Minister’s Office main gate. Kalshi’s Sumatra station also saw substantial congestion, with private cars queued as far as the ECB square.

The shortages continue to disrupt daily commutes and work, highlighting the urgent need for timely fuel deliveries and effective station management.