BSTI shuts all dispensing units at Jatrabari filling station for rigging measurement

The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) has shut all five dispensing units of the Poura Filling Station in Jatrabari after finding fuel shortages of up to 530 millilitres for every 10 litres during a mobile court operation.

The BSTI mobile court also fined the filling station a total of Tk3 lakh in five separate cases for manipulating fuel measurements.

The operation, led by BSTI Executive Magistrate Md Mahbubul Islam, was conducted on Monday.

The inspectors found that the octane dispensing unit was supplying more than 530ml less fuel per 10 litres, while the four diesel units were supplying 330ml, 300ml, 340ml and 320ml less, respectively.

The shortages exceeded the permissible tolerance limit of 30ml per 10 litres in each of the five units, according to the BSTI.

The mobile court subsequently shut all five dispensing units and instructed the authorities to correct the measurement systems of each unit immediately.

During the drive, the filling station manager told the BSTI team that the Dhaka South City Corporation purchases around 1,500 litres of octane and diesel daily from the station, while other vehicles purchase around 5,000 litres.

As the station sells a large volume of fuel every day, the shortage in measurement in all five dispensing units could cause financial losses to consumers, the BSTI said.

The fines were imposed under the Weights and Measures Standards Act, 2018.

The BSTI said such drives would continue to ensure accurate measurement of fuel and protect consumer interests.