STAR REPORT

The government has continued drives against illegal fuel hoarding amid shortages that have disrupted daily life and livelihoods in several districts.

Law enforcers and mobile courts seized more than 7,900 litres of diesel and petrol in separate operations in Patuakhali and Sirajganj yesterday, while fishermen in Kurigram reported acute difficulties in accessing fuel.

In Patuakhali, police seized 6,200 litres of fuel – 3,200 litres of diesel and 3,000 litres of petrol – from a trawler anchored near a ferry ghat on the Andharmanik river in Kalapara upazila around 9:30am. A mobile court later fined the owner of a local filling station Tk 20,000 for supplying the fuel to the trawler.

Kalapara Upazila Executive Magistrate Yasin Sadiq, who led the court, confirmed the development.

In Sirajganj, a mobile court seized around 1,729 litres of diesel and petrol from an unauthorised fuel shop at Sonamukhi Bazar in Kazipur upazila early yesterday.

The shop owner was fined Tk 10,000 for illegal stockpiling, said Kazipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mostafizur Rahman, who led the drive.

Despite the enforcement drives, fuel scarcity has left livelihoods at risk for many.

SEE PAGE 9 COL 8