Nationwide Fuel Shortage Hits Petrol Stations

A sudden shortage of petrol and octane has left motorists across Bangladesh struggling to fill their vehicles, with the capital, Dhaka, being among the worst affected. While diesel supplies remain largely uninterrupted, the scarcity of petrol and octane has created long queues and mounting frustration among commuters.

Motorcyclist Mosharraf Hossain, who departed from Dhaka towards Bhairab on Tuesday morning, described his ordeal: “I visited more than 30 petrol stations, but none had fuel. Eventually, I managed to purchase 300 Taka worth of petrol at a pump in Narsingdi.”

Most petrol stations in Dhaka had reported being dry since Monday morning, following a similarly limited supply on Sunday.

Nazmul Haque, president of the Petrol Pump Owners and Dealers Association (PPODA), told bdnews24.com, “The shortage has arisen because banks were closed, preventing owners from processing pay orders. This disrupted the normal supply chain. We expect conditions to return to normal from Wednesday once banks reopen.”

Bus operator Imran Hossain of Baishakhi Transport added, “The crisis mainly affects petrol and octane. Diesel is still available. We sent vehicles to northern regions without any difficulty in obtaining diesel en route.”

Similarly, Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury, vice-president of Thakurgaon Motor Owners’ Association, confirmed: “There is no diesel shortage. However, petrol and octane have been unavailable at several stations for the past few days, causing serious inconvenience, especially for motorcyclists.”

On Sunday night, the PPODA’s official Facebook page warned of a nationwide temporary shutdown, citing safety concerns due to limited oil delivery from suppliers. The post noted that millions of motorcyclists are forced to wait for hours in frustration, while station attendants struggle to manage impatient customers. It added, “The continuous duty without breaks is taking its toll. If supply and safety issues persist, petrol stations across the country could be forced to close.”

By Monday afternoon, several stations in Dhaka, including Trust Pump, Sonar Bangla at Asad Gate, and Ramna Petrol Pump, resumed fuel distribution.

The government had previously imposed restrictions on petrol, octane, and diesel sales from 6 March to maintain supply amid global fuel market concerns due to Middle Eastern tensions. The rationing system, however, was lifted on 14 March in preparation for Ramadan and Eid. Yet, following the holiday, complaints of fuel scarcity emerged across Dhaka and other regions, intensifying on Monday.

Current Fuel Availability in Dhaka (As of Monday Afternoon)

Industry sources remain hopeful that normal operations will resume in the coming days as banking services reopen, enabling pay orders and restoring the regular fuel supply chain.