Police bar oil sales to car without proper documentation in Chattogram

Chattogram police have banned vehicles without valid documents and driving licences from buying fuel from petrol pumps.

Rasel, additional superintendent of police for the Chattogram district and spokesman, said pump owners were given the instruction on Friday.

“We have started campaigning on the issue from today (Sunday).”

He said, “Pump owners have been prohibited from selling octane to motorcycle riders unless they have helmets, valid documents and driving licences. And in the case of other vehicles, drivers will have to show valid documents along with their driving licenses.”

Amid concerns about the global fuel supply due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, panic has developed across the country over fuel shortages.

The government has imposed limits on the sale of petrol, octane and diesel from Mar 6 to maintain regular supply even as buyers began buying more fuel than they needed.

The Petrol Pump Owners and Dealers Association strongly criticised the decision. Later, the government decided to lift the rationing system in place for the sale of petrol, octane and diesel on Mar 14, ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Although oil sales at various pumps in the port city of Chattogram proceeded normally for the two days before Eid, the crisis reared again on Mar 23. Motorcyclists have been the worst hit.

Most of the pumps in Chattogram are now only selling a certain amount of fuel to drivers. Under the circumstances, new instructions have been issued by the police.

Abu Tayyab Patwary, president of the Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petrol Pump Owners Association, said police sent them the instructions two days ago.

Now, various pump officials feel that the instruction to check vehicle documents at the pumps is “creating difficulties” for them.

Several pump officials told bdnews24.com that it is the responsibility of law-enforcing agencies to check vehicle documents. They also said that they are not trained to know which documents are valid and which are illegal.

A pump employee said that incidents of attacks on pump workers due to lack of fuel have been reported in different parts of the country. They expressed concern that the instruction to sell fuel after checking vehicle documents could further escalate tensions amid the long lines and waits for fuel.