People scuffle while buying fuel at Rangamati filling station, video goes viral

A group people lock into brawl while trying to buy diesel at a filling station in Rangamati town.

The incident occurred at Messrs MM Petroleum Agency in the Rajbari area of the town yesterday, Wednesday afternoon. A video of the incident spread on social media today, Thursday.

The circulated video shows five to six customers arguing among themselves. All of them had come to the filling station carrying bottles to buy diesel. At one stage, they got into a fight. They punched and hit each other. The altercation also created tension among other customers present there.

Enquiries reveal that the filling station had no fuel on Monday and Tuesday. As a result, sales had to remain closed. However, fuel arrived there on Wednesday. After sales started, customers crowded the station yesterday afternoon after hearing the news.

Witness Tapan Dewan said he went to the Rajbari Filling Station yesterday afternoon to buy octane. While standing in line, he saw an argument break out among several people who had come to buy diesel. At one stage, they started fighting. He learned that the incident began over standing in line.

Ripon Chakma, an employee of the filling station, said, “After two days, the filling station received 4,500 liters of octane and 4,000 liters of diesel yesterday. Customers crowded the station after hearing the news. Suddenly, several people who came to buy diesel got into a fight. Later, police arrived and brought the situation under control. Fuel was sold at the filling station until 11 pm yesterday. At present, there is no octane or diesel left.”

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali police station Mohammad Jasim told Prothom Alo that several people had a scuffle over standing in line. No one was injured in the incident.

In Rangamati town, octane and diesel are sold at four filling stations. Enquiries at noon today found that none of the four stations currently has fuel available for sale. Due to the fuel shortage, motorcycle riders and boat operators in the town are facing difficulties.

Nazrul Islam, an employee of Banarupa Hillview Filling Station in the town, said that 4,000 liters of octane and 4,000 liters of diesel were supplied yesterday. All of that fuel was sold on the same day. Today they are contacting Chattogram for more fuel. For now, about 8,000 liters of diesel has been secured, but it has not yet arrived. Therefore, sales remain suspended.

Nazrul Islam added that before the war in Iran began, daily sales were about 500 to 1,000 liters of octane and diesel. Now, even if 3,000 to 4,000 liters arrive, it sells out within a few hours. He commented that people are buying fuel out of panic or hoarding it; otherwise, demand would not have increased so much.

However, the administration claims there is no fuel crisis in Rangamati. Rangamati Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Kamrul Hossain Chowdhury said there is fuel available for use. There is no shortage. However, many are not receiving fuel from Padma and Jamuna according to demand.