Riders in Chapainawabganj report rapid tank corrosion linked to poor-quality fuel, leading to leaks, engine damage and rising fears of fire accidents and health impacts.
Motorcycle riders and owners across Chapainawabganj district are facing growing concern as fuel tanks are corroding at an unusually rapid rate, allegedly due to low-quality fuel supplied at local filling stations. The problem has caused fuel leakage, engine damage, financial losses and heightened fears of fire-related accidents.
From rural villages to urban areas, riders report that the inner metallic lining of motorcycle fuel tanks is weakening and developing holes within a short time. Fuel leaks not only waste costly petrol but also increase the risk of ignition, posing a serious safety hazard on busy roads and in residential areas.
Kayem Ali, a bank employee in the Maharajpur area of Sadar upazila, said he bought a Pulsar motorcycle for daily commuting. “After a few days, fuel started leaking through holes in the tank. I was riding in constant fear. Eventually, I had to replace the tank,” he said.
Atim Mahmud, a resident of Bangabari in Gomastapur upazila, said his motorcycle’s fuel tank suddenly developed holes less than a year after purchase. “I was worried the bike would become completely unusable. For now, I am riding it by keeping fuel in a bottle attached near the front,” he said.
Md Walid Ahmed, a contractor from Maharajpur Union who uses three motorcycles, said corrosion has damaged the tanks of all three vehicles. Two are now almost unusable, while the third is being run temporarily with makeshift repairs.
Motorcycle users allege that fuel supplied by filling stations contains excessive sulphur or water, accelerating corrosion. They warn that beyond mechanical damage, fuel leakage significantly raises the risk of fire and explosions, especially in traffic congestion or near open flames.
Ashraf Hossain Alim, general secretary of the Chapainawabganj Petrol Pump Owners’ Association, acknowledged complaints over fuel quality. “We have raised the issue with fuel depots several times, but no effective solution has been provided. We sell the fuel supplied to us, so enforcement and quality control must come from higher authorities,” he said.
Assistant Director of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority in Chapainawabganj, Md Shahjaman Haque, said the issue has been reported and that the matter will be investigated to determine necessary action.
Experts caution that without swift regulatory enforcement, improved refinery technology and strict monitoring of fuel quality, high-sulphur fuel will continue to damage vehicles, threaten road safety and deepen Bangladesh’s air pollution and public health crisis.
The problem reflects a broader national concern over fuel quality in Bangladesh. Official tests have found sulphur levels in fuel far exceeding both national and international limits. While Bangladesh has set the maximum allowable sulphur level at 350 parts per million (ppm), laboratory tests have detected levels ranging from 1,348 to as high as 2,800 ppm in some samples. By comparison, internationally accepted standards allow only 10 ppm, a benchmark followed across Europe and in neighbouring India.
Professor Abdus Salam of the University of Dhaka’s Department of Chemistry, an air quality researcher, said sulphur not only directly contributes to air pollution but also forms harmful particulate matter. “This significantly increases health risks and worsens overall air quality,” he said.
Tests conducted by the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution and the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on fuel samples collected from filling stations in Dhaka confirmed dangerously high sulphur levels. In one octane sample tested following complaints of engine damage and tank corrosion, sulphur content reached 2,800 ppm.
Medical professionals warn that prolonged exposure to high sulphur emissions damages airways and increases the risk of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis and respiratory illnesses in children.
Energy and Mineral Resources Division Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam said older refineries lack sulphur removal facilities, contributing to the problem. He added that the government has taken initiatives to construct new refineries and gradually reduce sulphur levels in fuel.
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said the government is working to fix fuel quality standards and reduce sulphur levels using post-import technologies. He said the detailed project proposal for a new refinery may be approved soon.
