Nearly 100,000 Litres of Jet Fuel Vanish From Padma Oil Depots; Manager Sent on Compulsory Retirement

Jet fuel has been disappearing in stages from the depots of Padma Oil, the company responsible for supplying aviation fuel at airports. The picture of major irregularities has emerged through the smuggling of 72,000 litres in Dhaka on 11 March, 9,000 litres in Chattogram on 18 May, and most recently 16,500 litres in Narayanganj.

In the three incidents, nearly 100,000 litres of jet fuel have vanished, with a market value of Tk 1.82 crore. Alongside the suspension of several officers and employees over these incidents, one depot manager has been sent on compulsory retirement. In the Chattogram incident, a decision has been taken to send the in-charge of the Shah Amanat airport depot on compulsory retirement.

Padma Oil PLC's internal inquiry report found that on 11 March, four lorries carrying 72,000 litres of jet fuel (Jet A-1) from Padma Oil's Godnail depot in Narayanganj were diverted while on their way to Kurmitola Aviation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

According to the inquiry report, the register book records the lorries' entry and exit times, and the jet fuel receipt documents carry the signatures of the relevant officials. But in reality, the lorries never entered the depot. In other words, 72,000 litres of fuel were made to disappear.

Sources said tank lorries carrying jet fuel from the Godnail depot reach the Kurmitola Aviation Depot, after which each vehicle's information is kept in the register book at the main gate. A designated officer measures the dip, or depth, of each chamber of the vehicle to confirm the quantity of fuel. The fuel is then shown as received by signing the Aviation Fuel Stock Transfer Advice note and the release certificate (ASTR).

Padma Oil general manager (human resources) Mir Mohammad Fakhruddin, acknowledging the repeated jet fuel smuggling, said, 'We have investigated these matters and taken legal action. A decision has been taken to send Sayedul Haq, the manager accused in the smuggling of 72,000 litres of jet fuel from the Kurmitola Aviation Depot, on compulsory retirement, and he has also been asked to return the value of the smuggled 72,000 litres of jet fuel.'

The general manager added that after the incident, Saidul Haq, Chhamir Uddin, Aktar Kamal, Shawkat Hossain and Manik Kumar Roy were suspended. Repeated calls to Sayedul Haq's mobile phone to ask about the compulsory retirement and the missing jet fuel went unanswered.

Last Saturday, lorry driver Sagar Hossain (27) was arrested in Narayanganj when 16,500 litres of jet fuel were seized. A case was later filed naming him along with helper Deen Islam (52) and lorry owner Ear Hossain Bhuiyan (50), with two more people accused as unnamed. Siddhirganj police station OC Emdad Hossain confirmed the matter.

After prima facie evidence of involvement in the theft was found, Padma Oil's Shah Amanat airport in-charge Md Sohel Idris and Padma Oil driver Md Jasim Uddin have already been suspended.

Padma Oil general manager Fakhruddin said a decision has been taken to send depot in-charge Sohel Idris on compulsory retirement over the jet fuel smuggling incident in Chattogram.