Fuel crisis in Sylhet
Short supply from Chittagong, Koilashtila: 20 filling stations stop sale in city and outskirts, dealers say
Staff Correspondent, Sylhet
Fuel crisis is prevailing in Sylhet as there has been no supply from Chittagong and Koilashtila gas field. About 20 filling stations in the city and areas nearby stopped sale of fuel in last two days, sources in Petrol Pump Owners Association said here yesterday. The crisis has been created as 25 railway wagons with fuel from Chittagong, scheduled to reach Sylhet on February 8, are yet to reach, they told this correspondent. Moreover, oil companies are not getting any fuel from the Kailashtila Gas Field since December, they said. Officials of oil companies supplying fuel in the region also corroborated the statements by the dealers. The dealers said the increased demand for irrigation has accentuated the crisis as the higher consumption was not replenished as there was also no supply from Chittagong through lorries in last two months. Leaders of Sylhet Division Petroleum Dealers Association and Petrol Pump Owners Association at a joint meeting on Thursday discussed the situation. It was presided over by Petroleum Dealers Association General secretary Jobayer Ahmed Chowdhury in the chair. The dealers said they have exhausted the buffer stock also, and the administration has been informed of the situation, but to no effect. Taking the advantage, many filling stations are realising higher prices from buyers, they said. Daily demand for fuel is around 6 lakh litres now. An official of Jamuna oil company which markets fuel of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, when contacted, said the authorities are fully aware of the situation. "It is difficult to cope with the increased demand during the irrigation season. "Moreover, oil companies are not getting any fuel from the Kailashtila Gas Field since December as production in two wells there are stopped. Diesel and other kinds of fuel are available from the gas field as a byproduct. The depot of Padma Oil at Srimangal is now supplying only 70,000 to 80,000 litres a day against three lakh liters earlier, it was learnt. An official of Meghna Petroleum said, railway authorities could not transport fuel from Chittagong due to shortage of wagons. "This is why we can not build up a stock in Sylhet region. We are trying to keep the supply normal", he said.
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