Mobile courts in Bhola, Gopalganj, Rajshahi, and Sirajganj have fined several businesses over Tk 3 lakh and seized more than 12,000 litres of illegally hoarded fuel in a series of raids this week.
Acting on intelligence from the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection, the drives targeted traders accused of stockpiling diesel and petrol and selling these at inflated prices.
BHOLA: A mobile court in Bhola has fined two firms Tk 1.5 lakh and seized nearly 6,000 litres of illegally hoarded diesel from the BSCIC industrial estate.
The raid, conducted on Tuesday night between 9 pm and midnight, targeted Messrs Khan Flour Mill and Trishna Bakery. Officials confiscated 3,976 litres of diesel from Khan Flour Mill and 2,000 litres from Trishna Bakery, totalling 5,976 litres.
Executive Magistrate Syed Mahmud Bulbul, who led the mobile court, said the operation was based on a tip-off. "Storing fuel without a licence is a punishable offence. The seized diesel has been listed and secured," he added.
Khan Flour Mill owner Jamal Uddin Khan was fined Tk 1 lakh, with a one-month jail term in default of payment. Trishna Bakery owner Md Jewel was fined Tk 50,000, with a seven-day jail term in default.
The owners claimed they had applied to the district administration for permission to store fuel for factory use, but approval was pending. They said they had received verbal consent from an official.
GOPALGANJ: A mobile court in Tungipara upazila fined a business Tk 30,000 Tuesday night for illegally hoarding diesel and selling it at inflated prices. Acting on information from the National Security Intelligence (NSI), the raid was conducted at Patgati Bazar around 9pm.
The court, led by Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Al-Amin Haldar, fined Messrs Kalipada Saha Enterprise, owned by Bishwajit Saha and Gobinda Saha. Officials said the firm had stockpiled 4,500 litres of diesel and was selling it above the government-fixed rate.
"NSI provided us with the information. During the raid, we found the allegations to be true. The business was fined under the Essential Commodities Control Act," said Al-Amin Haldar.
Meanwhile, another mobile court in Kashiani upazila fined two businesses Tk 1.1 lakh and seized 510 litres of fuel Monday night at Rajpat Bazar, also based on NSI intelligence.
The confiscated fuel was later sold to farmers, with proceeds deposited into the state treasury.
Businessman Md Alamgir Molla, 60, was fined Tk 1 lakh for hoarding fuel, with a default sentence of one month's imprisonment. Another trader, Robiul Islam, 29, was fined Tk 10,000 for selling fuel without a license.
BAGMARA, RAJSHAHI: A trader in Bagmara Upazila of Rajshahi has been fined Tk 50,000 for illegally hoarding fuel and selling petrol at inflated prices.
Police said Abdus Sattar, 45, son of late Kefatullah of Namkan Village in Jhikra Union, had stored petrol and diesel in jars and barrels behind his grocery shop at Moyez Uddin Market in the Bhabaniganj municipality. He was secretly selling petrol at Tk 280-300 per litre, far above the government-fixed rate of Tk 117.
Executive Magistrate and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, who conducted the mobile court, said the trader was fined for illegally stockpiling fuel and selling it at excessive prices.
SIRAJGANJ: Authorities have seized around 21.5 litres of petrol hidden under the bed of a grocer in the Goyla area of Sirajganj Town during a joint drive by the district administration and the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection.
The accused, Ismail Hossain, was fined for storing and selling fuel without a valid licence.
The drive, led by Executive Magistrate Md Nazmul Islam, was conducted on Tuesday following a tip-off. Although he initially denied the allegations, a search of his house later led to the recovery of the petrol from under his bed. Several empty containers were also seized.
As he did not have a valid licence, he was fined Tk 8,000 under the Petroleum Act, which was realised on the spot.
The seized petrol was later sold to a nearby filling station for Tk 2,372, with instructions to deposit the amount into the government treasury.
