Trader fined for illegally selling, hoarding 3,500 litres of diesel in Netrokona

Amid the countrywide crackdown against illegal hoarding of fuel, a mobile court has seized 3,500 litres of diesel stockpiled at an unauthorised shop in Netrokona Sadar Upazila.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Khandakar Mushfiqur Rahman said the raid was conducted at the shop “Messrs Chowdhury Enterprises” in Hatkhola Bazar of Mougati Union on Saturday evening.

The district administration's executive magistrate, Iqbal Hossain, who led the mobile court, fined the shop owner Zahirul Chowdhury Tk 10,000 under Section 20 (1) of the Petroleum Act, 2016.

Zahirul was selling fuel without a licence, DC Mushfiqur said, adding that the raid was part of a nationwide “field operation” with utmost importance to ensure proper supply of oil.

The mobile court ordered two Union council members to sell the seized fuel to the general public at the government-fixed price.

DC Mushfiqur said “tag officers” have been appointed at every filling station in the district so no irregularities occur in the fuel sales, storage and supply process.

It followed a decision made earlier in the day in a meeting of Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources as the country reels from a fuel crisis driven by the Iran war.

The government announced a reward scheme for informants to help gather intelligence on illegal fuel hoarding.

Also on Saturday, authorities seized 24,000 litres of fuel illegally stored at the facility in Mymensingh’s Phulpur Upazila.

Additionally, some 2,800 litres of fuel were found hidden at a filling station in Jamalpur.