Kerosene, diesel prices go up in 3 districts

This has caused price hike of diesel and kerosene in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Jamalpur districts.

Diesel and kerosene are selling at Tk 38-40 per litre in markets in the districts against the government fixed price of Tk 30.25 per litre.

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The Chilmari depot has a capacity to store 60,000 litres of diesel and 45,000 litres of kerosene.

Dealers in Kurigram said they are procuring kerosene and diesel from Bhagabari depot and selling those at Tk 38 to 40 per litre.

They said in the last few days, oil tankers supplied fuel to Bhagabari depot but did not go up to Chilpari depot.

When asked, General Manager (Operation) of Jamuna Oil Company, Ferdousul Islam, told this correspondent that oil tankers and barges can not go up to Chilmari with supplies due to fall in the water level of Brahamaputra. He however said arrangements were being made to supply fuel to Chilmari depot. He was in Rangpur yesterday on an official visit.

BPC set up the Chilmari depot on the Brahammaputra in 1989 with a view to supplying kerosene and diesel to Gibandha, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Jamalpur districts.

Three oil companies under BPC had their barges at the depot. Later, Padma Oil Company shifted its barge to Balashi in Gibandha from Chilmari. Meghna Oil Company and Jamuna Oil Company were tasked with supplying fuel to Chilmari depot.

Sources at the depot said Meghna did not supply fuel for about two months and Jumuna for two weeks.

Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Azizur Rahman Mollah and Chilmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rabindranath Roy said they did not know anything about shortage fuel at the depot.

About 60000 litres of diesel and 20000 litres of kerosene are needed in the three districts daily, sixty percent of which was usually supplied from the Chilmari depot.

The price hike has affected the farmers who need those for daily use and irrigation. Many farmers this correspondent talked to said they need to irrigate their Amon fields after transplantation of seedlings because the rainfall is inadequate this year.