Motorists across Chuadanga faced acute distress late on Sunday night as local filling stations abruptly halted operations following rumours—and the subsequent official announcement—of a steep surge in domestic fuel prices.
From 11:00 pm onwards on 20 September, drivers of private motorcycles, commercial vehicles, and public transport found themselves stranded after being turned away by several prominent pumps. Key outlets in Chuadanga town, including Mozammel Haque Filling Station, Joarder Petroleum, and two major facilities in the Doulatdia area, reportedly suspended sales despite visible inventory.
At Mozammel Haque Filling Station, witnesses reported that whilst the digital meters remained powered on and staff members were present on site, employees refused to dispense fuel to waiting queues. Distressed commuters voiced strong suspicions that pump owners intentionally hoarded existing stock to profit from the higher tariffs set to take effect at midnight.
“I tried three different stations to get fuel for my motorcycle,” said Rajib, a stranded commuter in Chuadanga town. “With every pump closed, I was left wondering how I would manage to get home so late at night.”
Another customer, Sajib, noted that he routinely buys fuel from the same station at that hour every evening. “Finding it closed tonight makes the motive clear. As soon as word spread about the price increase, they locked up,” he alleged.
The unexpected shutdown created severe bottlenecks, particularly given the scarce night-time alternatives available to motorists traversing the district.
Addressing the public dissatisfaction, Chuadanga Additional District Magistrate B. M. Tariq-uz-Zaman assured that local authorities would investigate the allegations. He stated that the administration would take appropriate measures if any station was found to have illegally suspended sales to exploit the price adjustment.
The chaos unfolded alongside an official notification from the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, which announced an immediate upward revision of £0.13 to £0.15 equivalent (20 Bangladeshi Taka) per litre across four primary fuel categories, effective from Monday, 21 September. Under the revised pricing structure, diesel has risen from 115 Taka to 135 Taka per litre, kerosene from 135 Taka to 155 Taka, petrol from 140 Taka to 160 Taka, and octane from 145 Taka to 165 Taka per litre.
Government officials attributed the sharp single-step increase to persistent volatility in global energy markets and escalating international freight charges since March 2026. The state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) suffered accumulated losses amounting to approximately 22,875.66 crore Taka between March and August. Authorities further highlighted that maintaining subsidised domestic rates created a stark price disparity with neighbouring international markets, heightening the risk of cross-border fuel smuggling.
Despite these macroeconomic justifications, the focus in Chuadanga remains squarely on regulatory oversight. Local administration teams have committed to monitoring filling stations closely to ensure stock availability, prevent artificial hoarding, and restore normal dispensing operations across the district.
