The upazila administration in Phulpur, Mymensingh, recovered 24,000 litres of illegally stockpiled fuel and fined a businessman Tk2 lakh during a mobile court operation on Saturday afternoon.
The raid was conducted at a mini filling station named ‘M/S Poppy Traders’, located in the Karaha intersection area of Amuakanda Payari Road within the municipality. The seized inventory consisted of 19,500 litres of diesel and 4,500 litres of petrol.
The operation was led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Executive Magistrate Sadia Islam Seema, accompanied by Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Shafiqul Islam. Rashedul Hasan, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Phulpur Police Station, along with other police personnel, participated in the drive.
According to district administration sources, the fuel had been stored illegally behind the station for approximately one month, during which time the station remained closed. This led to an artificial crisis in the local market, causing significant distress to consumers.
The owner of the establishment, Habibur Rahman, was fined Tk 2 lakh by the mobile court after failing to provide any valid documentation for the stored fuel.
UNO Sadia Islam Seema stated that such attempts to destabilise the market through illegal hoarding would not be tolerated. She further clarified that the recovered fuel would be distributed and sold through other operational filling stations in the interest of the public.
The UNO also maintained that administrative actions against any activities detrimental to public interest would continue.
