Filling stations in the country’s southern region part have been hit hard due to a shortage in supply.
Routine maintenance at the refinery in Chattogram has caused the crunch, which has left businesses in 10 southern districts affected.
Filling station in the districts of Barishal, Jhalokathi, Patuakhali, Bhola, Borguna, Pirojpur, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gopalganj and Rajbari largely depend on Jamuna Oil Company’s depot based in Barishal. The depot stopped supplying three weeks ago.
Fakhrul Islam, the Barishal-based manager of Jamuna Oil said that the depot was facing a supply shortage.
“A routine maintenance at Chattagram’s oil refinery has affected the supply of petrol, LP [liquefied petroleum] gas and other kinds of fuels,” he said before adding they expect the situation to be resolved soon.
Dealers and filling stations at the southern districts, however, have been managing by rather lower supply from Jhalokathi’s Meghna Oil and Padma Oil depots.
The general secretary of Barishal Divisional Tank-Lorry Trade Union, Sheikh Kamal Uddin said, “Filling stations and dealers depend on Jamuna oil depot for petrol. After the reserve at Jamuna depot ended, Jhalokathi depots have allocated one-third supply of everyone’s demand.”
Md Rana, a filling station owner in Barishal, said, “Barishal is getting a low supply of petrol. Filling stations, however, are getting petrol, but dealers are in crisis.”
Barishal Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Yamin Chowdhury said, “I was not aware of the supply crunch of petrol at state-owned depots in Barishal division.”
“I’ll look into the issue to come up with a solution,” he added.