Motorcyclists Struggle Amid Petrol Shortage in Noakhali

A severe shortage of petrol has left motorcyclists in Noakhali district scrambling for fuel, often covering long distances only to receive minimal supplies. On Monday morning, Abu Nasser, an employee of a private company, recounted his exhausting search for petrol, which saw him travel nearly 25 kilometres across several towns before obtaining just 200 taka worth of fuel.

Between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., Mr Nasser visited eight petrol stations—five in Begumganj and three in the district town of Maijdee—seeking octane petrol for his motorcycle. Only at Abdul Haque Filling Station, located in Maijdee’s old bus stand area, was petrol available. After waiting in line for almost an hour, he received 200 taka worth of fuel, sufficient to travel only 70–75 kilometres. He expressed concern that such limited supplies make it difficult to complete his daily work obligations.

“For the past two days, petrol has been unavailable at all pumps in Choumuhani and nearby areas. Motorcyclists like me are facing extreme hardship,” said Mr Nasser.

Following his experience, a survey of nine petrol stations across Maijdee, Begumganj, and surrounding markets revealed that eight stations were out of petrol or octane, leaving only Abdul Haque Filling Station operational. The station enforces a strict limit of 200 taka per motorcycle. Large queues of hundreds of vehicles stretch along the station frontage and adjacent Hakim Quarter Road, with some waiting over an hour due to the time-consuming process of dispensing fuel to each vehicle individually.

Petrol Availability Across Noakhali Stations

Locals report that retail outlets in rural haat-bazaars have been closed for over a week. The shortage is especially disruptive during the Eid period, making travel to relatives’ homes and completion of essential errands extremely challenging. A petrol station manager, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that despite government assurances of normal petrol supply, actual deliveries are inadequate. Diesel supply remains comparatively stable, and hence shortages are not as severe.

Mohammad Shafiqul Islam, the District Commissioner, told Prothom Alo that the administration is monitoring daily petrol stocks and delivery schedules, coordinating closely with the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation to normalise supply. Authorities hope that increased deliveries will alleviate the ongoing shortage.