A total of 1,200 litres of petrol stored unlawfully inside a walled residential property have been seized by the Detective Branch (DB) of police in Noakhali district, with three individuals arrested in connection with the incident.
The recovery was made on Wednesday evening in the Lakshminarayanpur area of Maijdee, the district headquarters of Noakhali. According to police sources, the house was enclosed by boundary walls, preventing visibility of the stored items from outside. The fuel was allegedly kept inside the premises for the purpose of selling it at higher-than-market prices.
Acting on specific information regarding the illegal storage of petroleum products, a team from the Detective Branch conducted a raid at the location. During the operation, police recovered several drums containing petrol from inside the house. In addition to the fuel, a pickup vehicle believed to have been used for transporting the petrol was also seized from the scene.
Three men were arrested during the raid. They have been identified as Md Mofizur Rahman (19), son of Md Shahjahan of Chaparashi Bari in the same locality; Mahmudul Hasan (26), son of Jalal Uddin of Manik Huzur Bari; and Md Manjur Alam (53), son of the late Fazlul Haque of Pundit Bari in Madhusudanpur area under Ward No. 1 of Noakhali Municipality.
Police stated that initial findings suggest the group had been stockpiling petrol for some time, allegedly taking advantage of fuel supply pressures to distribute it at inflated prices. The seized petrol and the pickup vehicle were taken into police custody for further examination as part of the ongoing investigation.
A case was subsequently filed at Sudharam Model Police Station under the Special Powers Act in relation to the incident. Following their arrest, the three accused were produced before the court on Thursday as part of legal proceedings.
Authorities have indicated that the investigation is continuing to determine whether additional individuals were involved and to assess the wider network, if any, associated with the illegal storage and distribution of fuel.
Details of the arrested individuals
| Name | Age | Parentage | Address | Allegation (as recorded) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Md Mofizur Rahman | 19 | Son of Md Shahjahan | Chaparashi Bari, Lakshminarayanpur, Maijdee | Involvement in illegal petrol storage and sale |
| Mahmudul Hasan | 26 | Son of Jalal Uddin | Manik Huzur Bari, Maijdee | Involvement in illegal petrol storage and sale |
| Md Manjur Alam | 53 | Son of late Fazlul Haque | Madhusudanpur, Ward No. 1, Noakhali Municipality | Involvement in illegal petrol storage and sale |