Motorists in Dhaka faced hours-long queues and limited fuel supplies at several filling stations on Saturday as government-imposed purchase restrictions and pump closures triggered widespread frustration among consumers.
Many drivers reported waiting up to two and a half hours to buy as little as two litres of fuel, while some stations turned vehicles away entirely due to supply shortages.
Mamunur Rashid, a businessman from Mirpur, said he waited two hours at Khalek Station Service Pump in Kalyanpur on Friday night but could not get petrol. He returned again on Saturday morning and finally managed to buy only two litres of octane after standing in line for hours.
“Most small pumps are closed while the larger ones are overwhelmed with vehicles,” he said. “Lines near some stations stretch for more than a kilometre. Bikers are suffering the most.”
He believes the current situation stems from the government’s decision to impose limits on fuel purchases.
Similar concerns were echoed by many bikers and private car drivers waiting outside pumps. They urged the government to ensure proper fuel supply, distribution, and management rather than restricting sales.
“Instead of stopping hoarding and taking action against those responsible, the authorities have limited fuel purchases,” said one motorist. “Consumers are suffering because of it.”
A visit to 11 filling stations in the capital — including Talukdar Pump at Asadgate, Sonar Bangla Pump at Asadgate, three pumps in Kalyanpur including Khalek Pump, three stations in the Technical, Mazar Road and Mirpur 14 areas, Trust Filling Station and two more in Tejgaon — found that many were either refusing to sell fuel or limiting purchases due to high demand.
At Talukdar Pump, biker Dulal Mahmud alleged that an artificial shortage was being created.
“There appears to be an attempt by hoarding syndicates to create a fuel crisis,” he said. “Limiting purchases has also created panic among consumers, making people believe there is a real shortage.”
Some motorists said they were forced to switch to compressed natural gas (CNG) due to long queues at petrol pumps.
Private car driver Shariful Islam said the shift has increased pressure on gas stations as well.
“Vehicles that usually run on petrol are now lining up for gas,” he said. “That is creating congestion there too.”
At Shyamoli Sahil Filling Station, which sells both petrol and gas, vehicles arriving to buy petrol were being turned away.
Station employee Mehedi Hasan said the station had sold fuel until Friday afternoon before running out of supply.
“Even though there is no fuel now, vehicles continue to line up,” he said, adding that gas customers were also facing delays because of the crowds.
Motorcyclist Md Rifat, who waited nearly two hours at Khalek Pump for only two litres of fuel, questioned the government’s claim that there is no shortage.
“If there is no crisis, why impose limits on fuel purchases?” he asked, adding that fears of shortages have encouraged some people to hoard fuel.
Station workers say the pressure on larger filling stations has become difficult to manage.
Md Sumon, an employee at Khalek Station, said tankers were delivering fuel but demand far exceeded the station’s capacity.
“To manage this level of pressure we would need around 20 stations, but there are only five or six handling most of the demand,” he said.
The long queues outside filling stations have also created traffic congestion on surrounding roads.
In some areas, heated arguments and scuffles among motorists were reported.
A traffic police official said officers have been working for the past two days to manage both road traffic and the growing crowds at filling stations.
“We are coordinating with pump owners, workers and transport operators to maintain order,” he said. Separate lines have been arranged for bikers.
However, he warned that congestion around filling stations located along major roads could worsen in the coming days if the pressure continues.
