Fuel crisis deepens in Thakurgaon, bikers queue for hours

Queues of motorcyclists stretched across filling stations in Thakurgaon town Wednesday as the district’s fuel shortage worsened, leaving commuters and traders struggling to secure petrol and octane.

From around 9:00am, hundreds of bikers lined up at Surma Filling Station, uncertain when fuel would be provided. The queues continued until evening, with similar scenes reported at three other filling stations in the municipal area.

The Daily Star found long lines at several pumps throughout the day, as motorcyclists endured hours of waiting.

Rabiul Islam, 38, an NGO worker, said he had been waiting since morning. “Fuel will be distributed on a rationed basis once the tanker reaches the station,” he explained, adding that his daily activities had been severely hampered.

Aynal Hossain, a scrap trader from Kalibari, said he had visited multiple pumps over the past three days without any success. “I came here at 10:00am and have been waiting ever since,” he said.

Pump owner Mostaque Ahmed confirmed that their tanker was expected to arrive from Parbotipur late at night, but queues had begun forming early in the morning.

Frustration boiled over in the evening when locals barricaded the road in front of Tias-Timu Filling Station around 6:30pm, demanding fuel for their motorbikes. The blockade lasted about an hour. Earlier in the afternoon, hundreds of bikers and vehicle owners besieged Chowdhury Pump, pressing for immediate supply.

Contacted, Golam Ferdous, additional district magistrate, said demand for fuel remained high despite what he described as a relatively stable supply. He cited official data showing that about 100,000 litres of petrol and octane had been supplied to Thakurgaon filling stations over the past two days.

He expressed concern that some traders might be hoarding fuel. “Irregularities, including hoarding, are expected to decrease once the fuel card system is introduced,” he said.

According to district records, about 438,000 litres of petrol and octane were supplied in March 2025. In March this year, the figure dropped to around 310,000 litres.

Despite official assurances, the shortage has left ordinary residents anxious and frustrated, with many fearing that their livelihoods and daily routines will continue to be disrupted unless distribution improves.