Long lines for fuel continued across the capital on Friday, with one filling station in Paribagh recording 1,011 vehicles waiting for petrol and diesel by late morning, highlighting the growing hardship faced by drivers amid the ongoing fuel shortage.
At around 11:00am, the Meghna Model Filling Station in Paribagh had 518 motorcycles and 493 private cars lined up for fuel. A similar situation was seen at the Ramna Filling Station near Matsya Bhaban, where by 10:00am 422 motorcycles and 358 private cars were still waiting in line.
The scale of the queues showed how severe the disruption has become, with many drivers forced to wait overnight and well into the next day. Private car driver Akhtar Hossain said he had joined the line at around 10:00pm on Thursday but still had not received fuel by 11:00am on Friday. He said he had no choice but to remain in line because without fuel, he would not be able to continue working.
Motorcycle rider Saiful Islam described a similar experience. He said he had queued from around 9:30pm the previous night and was later told he might only receive fuel after midday. He added that instead of spending his weekly holiday resting or being with family, he now loses an entire night and day waiting for fuel.
Another driver, Abdur Rahim, said he had also been waiting since Thursday night and still did not know when he would get fuel. Many drivers complained that official claims of there being no fuel shortage do not match the reality at filling stations, where the queues are growing longer rather than shorter.
The worsening lines across Dhaka suggest that public frustration is rising as motorists continue to bear the burden of the supply crisis.