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A prolonged disruption in fuel supply at a filling station in the capital has forced several drivers and commuters to spend a sleepless night inside their vehicles, highlighting the growing strain on urban transport amid the supply crunch.
In several parts of the capital, fuel queues grew unusually long, with lines in areas such as Ramna, Paribagh, Tejgaon, Mohakhali, Airport Road and the Gulshan Link Road stretching from one to two kilometres.
Pressure also remained high at pumps in Moghbazar, Malibagh, Banasree, Hazipara, Ramna and Paribagh, where both cars and motorcycles competed for limited supply on Friday.
The long queues spilled onto major roads, often occupying an entire lane and disrupting normal traffic movement in these busy urban corridors.
Motorists queued up since early morning, in many cases hours before fuel deliveries arrived from depots.
The demand was mostly for octane, although some motorcycles waited for petrol.
A visit to the Sonar Bangla Filling Station at Asadgate at around 8:30 am revealed several hundred motorcycles and cars queuing up for fuel.
Drivers reported waiting between 12 and 15 hours in queues as fuel supply remained suspended at the filling station.
Many arrived in the late afternoon or evening on Thursday but were stranded well into Friday morning, with no clear indication of when distribution would resume.
The prolonged delay forced several motorists to spend the entire night inside their vehicles, enduring discomfort, fatigue, and uncertainty.
For many, the extended waiting time not only disrupted their work schedules but also strained their personal lives as they remained stuck in lines for more than half a day.
Market insiders say the country requires around 1,100 tonnes of octane daily to feed the domestic demand, most of which comes from local sources.
The state-run Kailashtila condensate fractionation plant produces a significant volume of octane using condensate, a liquid by-product from local gas fields.
Several privately owned petrochemical companies also produce octane using locally sourced condensate and naphtha.
Private companies, including Super Petrochemical, Aqua Petrochemical, Petromax, and Partex Petro, get most of their condensate from local gas fields and naphtha from Eastern Refinery Ltd (ERL).
The private octane producers ramped up production last week to meet the demand amid panic buying by consumers.
Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) also imports a portion of the required octane from global suppliers.
Tusher Bhumik, a personal staff member of a doctor at a private hospital, said he and a car driver had arrived at the Sonar Bangla Filling Station in Asadgate around 4:30 pm on Thursday, hoping to refuel.
However, the pump stopped dispensing fuel at around 12:30 am on Friday, leaving dozens of vehicles stranded in long queues.
"With no alternative, we had to spend the entire night inside the car," Bhumik told The Financial Express at around 8:45 am while waiting near Shashya Prabartana in Mohammadpur, close to the filling station.
"There is no option but to wait. We have to return home after filling the tank, as instructed by the car owner," he said.
Describing the ordeal, he added, "It was extremely painful - mosquitoes kept biting all night."
Bhumik said he had been told that fuel distribution might resume around 11:30 am.
"If that happens, I hope to return home before Jummah prayers," he added.
A similar account came from Jahid, another car driver, who said he and his employer had spent the entire night inside the vehicle.
Jahid told The Financial Express at around 9:00 am that his employer was still asleep in the car, exhausted after hours of waiting.
"I could not sleep at all throughout the night," he said, adding that he remained uncertain about when the pump would resume operations.
The prolonged wait took a toll on drivers' personal lives.
Al Amin, a car driver with 14 years of experience, said he had queued up near Bihari Camp at around 6:00 pm on Thursday.
By 8:50 am on Friday, he was still waiting near Shashya Prabartana.
"My wife just called and got angry," he said.
"She told me to stay with my car and profession, saying I have no responsibility towards my family."
Al Amin said he had never experienced such hardship in his career.
The situation at the filling station reflects broader concerns among transport operators and commuters over fuel availability as long queues and uncertainty continue to disrupt daily routines in parts of the capital.
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