B Mirror Report: The government has announced a reward of one lakh taka for catching illegal oil hoarders. According to the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, anyone who provides accurate and reliable information to the local administration about individuals illegally hoarding oil will be eligible for this reward.

This information was shared in a message sent by the Ministry on Monday (March 30).

Recently, the government has taken various initiatives to maintain the supply and market stability of fuel in the country. However, some dishonest traders and criminal groups are attempting to create artificial shortages through illegal hoarding and smuggling of oil. This is causing hardship for the general public and creating instability in the market.

In such a situation, the government wants to involve the public in preventing such irregularities. With reliable information, the administration will be able to take prompt action and enforce legal measures against offenders. The relevant department has also assured that the identity of informants will be kept confidential.

When asked about this, Md. Rezaur Rahman, Chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), told media “We are unable to meet demand even by supplying extra oil to pumps for illegal hoarders. From March 1 to 5, we supplied double the amount compared to the same period last year. Last year, 12,700 metric tons of oil were supplied daily during this period. This year, more than 24,000 metric tons were supplied, but the demand could not be met. On one hand, people are panic-buying at pumps, and on the other hand, illegal hoarders are stockpiling oil. As a result, from March 6, supply returned to last year’s level. Later, even though supply was increased by up to 25% before Eid, there was no improvement in the situation.”

The BPC chairman added, “Now, ‘Vigilance Teams’ are being formed in every district to monitor the situation. To strengthen oversight at pumps, we have decided to appoint ‘Tag Officers.’ They will monitor how much oil each pump is supposed to receive versus how much they actually get. In addition, nationwide operations are being conducted. Fines and tax penalties are being enforced. At the same time, a reward of up to one lakh taka has been announced for those providing information on illegal hoarding.”