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Petrol pump owners in Bangladesh have proposed halting sales of petrol and octane at night, citing security risks and unrest at pumps. The Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association suggested a fixed sales window from 7am to 8pm for small vehicles, while assuring that diesel supply for buses and trucks would remain uninterrupted.

At a press briefing in Dhaka’s Moghbazar on Tuesday, Association President Nazmul Haque stressed the need for tighter security and better monitoring. “At night, troublemakers become more active, and order cannot be maintained. That is why petrol and octane cannot be supplied at night,” he said.

The owners also called for:

• Ensuring tank lorries are fully filled (4,500 litres)
• Strengthening government monitoring systems
• Preventing attacks on pumps and unwarranted blame on owners
• Adequate oil supply and public patience during distribution

Nazmul explained that halting nighttime sales would reduce risks of accidents and theft. He cited instances of pump managers being attacked while returning home at night and warned that incomplete filling of tank lorries increases transportation costs.

He also defended temporary pump closures, saying, “When a tank has 200–400 litres left, the supply system must be turned off to prevent air locking, which can delay operations by over an hour.”

Despite repeated government assurances that there is no fuel shortage, many pumps remain closed, causing long queues. Nazmul acknowledged that irregularities exist at some pumps and said, “Anyone committing illegal irregularities will be punished, but not all pumps are at fault.”