ASIFUR RAHMAN and AHMED DEEPTO

Queues at filling stations across Dhaka yesterday resembled the early-2000s “Snake” game, with lines of octane- and petrol-powered vehicles snaking around pumps, spilling onto surrounding roads, and at times looping back to and past their starting points.

Growing longer by the day, the queues have turned routine refuelling into an hours-long ordeal, even as the country’s octane stocks exceed storage capacity -- signalling a breakdown in distribution rather than supply.

A visit by The Daily Star to at least 20 filling stations in Tejgaon, Asad Gate, Kuril, Nikunja, Badda, Paribagh and Matsya Bhaban found the rush has worsened over the past two weeks.

Although the government earlier said it would maintain supply at levels similar to the same period last year, supply was slightly reduced between April 1 and April 17, worsening the situation.

Officials now expect conditions to ease at the distribution end, as At He

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