Fayshal Haque, Chilmari (Kurigram)

Two barges of Jamuna Oil Company Ltd. and Meghna Petroleum Ltd floating oil depot located in Chilmari Upazila of Kurigram have been running out of oil for almost 4 years.

Residents complain that the two depots have become empty of oil due to the negligence of the authorities. On the other hand, since the two depots have been empty of oil for a long time, the workers engaged in the work related to the depot along with the employees working there on the basis of daily attendance are living an inhumane life with their families.

It is learnt that in 1989, two floating oil depots of Meghna and Yamuna Company were established in Brahmaputra River at Chilmari in Kurigram and have been supplying fuel oil to some upazilas of Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur and Lalmonirhat districts. 22 authorized dealers of the two depots were buying fuel at the government-paid rates and supplying it to the retailers. Retailers were selling the oil at a small profit.

Since Jamuna Oil Company Limited ran out of oil on January 8, 2020 and Meghna Petroleum Limited on February 22, 2020, due to the negligence of the authorities, the two depots have not received oil due to unknown reasons. Due to the increase in oil prices and two depots running out of oil, if you buy oil from Parvatipur or Rangpur depot at Tk 105.08 and transport oil by road, the additional transportation, shortage and labor cost of 1 ladi i.e. 15 thousand liters of oil will cost about Tk 20 thousand. Which is about 1 taka 50 paise more per lot. In total, dealers have to buy oil at around Tk 107.50. Then from the retailer to the retail buyer. As a result farmers have to buy oil at Tk 110-111.

After Risman depot meets the fuel oil demand of the two upazilas, the daily demand of oil from the floating oil depot during the irrigation season in various areas of Narayanpur, Jatrapur, Saheber Alga, Roumari, Rajibpur, Sanandbari, Jafarganj, Kamarjani and Ulipur upazilas is about 750 barrels or 1 lakh 50 thousand. Liter andThere is a demand of about 100 to 150 barrels or 20-30 thousand liters of oil per day to run various machines including boats, dredger machines, land cultivation tractors, generators, Mahendra Car, Nachiman-Kariman in various business establishments. Also, recently there is a demand of about 20-30 thousand liters of oil per day due to cultivation and irrigation in Char area. Dealers take oil from Parvatipur/Rangpur depot to meet the demand of local including Vidya Man area and consumers have to pay extraIn this, an additional transaction of 4-5 lakh taka per day is being made in the oil market in the area.

Not only that, if this continues, dealers are losing long-standing retailers and customers. As a result the oil traders of Chilmari are facing financial loss as they are unable to withdraw the remaining amount due to the retailers. On the other hand, since two depots have been closed for a long time, around 300 workers including 17 employees working on a daily attendance basis are not working, and their families are living a miserable life.

The fuel oil market built around the two Chilmari floating oil depots went to Jorgach Bazar and talked to retail oil traders Badal, Rashedul, Mominul, Dhirendra Nath and many others. They said, as there was no extra cost to get oil from Meghna and Yamuna oil depots, we could sell oil at Tk 106 per liter in the market. But because the transportation cost is high to bring oil from far away, we have to buy oil at the price of 105.08 taka per liter to bring oil, so we are selling oil at a higher price at 107.50 taka.

Many of the local buyers including Aktaruzzaman Asif, Rahmat Ali and Sultan Mahmud said that due to lack of oil in the depot, we are spending a lot of extra money to buy essential oil. Retail oil seller Mominul Islam said, farmers who depend on fuel oil are constantly suffering because two depots have been without oil for a long time due to unknown reasons. Fishermen in the area are also suffering financially as a result of the fuel oil crisis, due to the purchase of oil at a higher price.

Former General Secretary of Chilmari Jalani Oil Traders Association Anwar Hossain Badal said, Yamuna and Meghna depots have been without oil for about 4 years. This depot, which is important for the fuel oil of the area, has been neglected by the two companies, and the farmers here are in dire straits. He sought the Prime Minister's intervention to ensure adequate supply of oil to the two depots before the upcoming irrigation season.

In this regard, Meghna Petroleum Limited barge in-charge Md. Mohshin Hossain said that nothing was said to me from the head office regarding oil.

Jamuna Oil Company AGM (Depot operation) Zahid Murad said, oil will not go to Chilmari now. Actually, the idea of making another depot is going on.