Mother stands in fuel line to save son’s livelihood

Thousands of people in Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira depend on motorcycles due to poor road conditions and limited public transport. Many also earn their living by providing paid motorcycle rides. However, the ongoing fuel crisis has left many struggling to sustain their livelihoods. In this context, one mother’s silent struggle has become a stark reflection of the fuel crisis.

On Thursday, hundreds of motorcycles lined up in front of the Munshiganj Delma Filling Station in Shyamnagar. Standing in the scorching sun among them was Bithika Rani Baidya (45), waiting with her son’s motorcycle. She needed just a few liters of petrol, enough to keep her son Sagar Baidya’s income-generating motorcycle running.

Sagar Baidya supports a five-member family, including his three children, through earnings from his motorcycle ride service. The prolonged fuel shortage has nearly halted his income, forcing him to work as a day laborer in the fields. Under the intense heat, his mother Bithika Rani could not accept her son’s hardship and took his place in the fuel queue.

Since Wednesday night, she has been waiting in line at the petrol pump with her son’s motorcycle. Around 12:30 pm on Thursday, she was still waiting at the Munshiganj Delma Filling Station without any success in obtaining fuel.

In a tired voice, Bithika Rani said, “My son runs the family by transporting passengers in motorcycle. As he cannot get fuel, he is now working in the fields. It is very hard for him to work in this heat. That is why I have been standing in the fuel line for two days. If I can get fuel today, he will return to riding the motorcycle.”

Locals said fuel distribution at the Delma Filling Station in Shyamnagar had been disrupted following an incident of assault related to fuel distribution. As a result, fuel supply remained suspended for five consecutive days. Later, the upazila administration decided to resume limited fuel distribution in three unions, including Munshiganj. Following that decision, fuel supply resumed in Munshiganj Union on Thursday, but public suffering continued.

Reports say that from 7:00 am to 9:30 am, fuel is being distributed on a priority basis to government and private employees. After that, a limited quota is allocated for the general public, but many are allegedly violating the rules due to political influence, while ordinary people continue to suffer fuel shortages.

Munshiganj Union Parishad member Debashish Gayen said fuel distribution had been halted due to some untoward incidents. He added that fuel supply has now resumed with coordination between the administration and locals, and fair distribution could ensure access for everyone.

Local social worker Sheikh Kamruzzaman said most unemployed people in the coastal region earn their livelihood by transporting passengers on motorcycles. “This crisis is pushing them into greater financial risk,” he said.

“The government should support people engaged in this profession. If their income continues to fall, it will not only affect their families but also the access of people in remote areas to emergency services,” he added.

Meanwhile, the global volatility in fuel prices triggered by the Middle East conflict has also impacted Bangladesh. Since the conflict began on February 28, long queues have been seen at filling stations. Although the government says there is no fuel shortage in the country, rising anxiety among people has increased demand, and congestion at fuel stations continues to grow day by day.