Sohail, a fuel carrier from the village of Raygan County in Kerman Province, has turned to this dangerous path since ٢٠٠٩ due to unemployment and lack of job opportunities. He says: "Despite working in this line since ٢٠٠٩, I still don’t even have a house for myself and live in my father's house."
Obstacles and challenges for fuel carriers
Sohail explains that his monthly income is only enough to cover his family's basic expenses. He loads about five barrels of fuel on each trip between Bam and Iranshahr, and if he stays safe from various dangers, such as theft and accidents, he earns about ١٠ million tomans. However, out of this, ١٥٠ million tomans will go to the lender, the person who has provided the fuel to him on credit.
Read more: Significant decrease in global piracy to the lowest level since ١٩٩٢
He talks about his living conditions and that of his family: "We have a few date palms, but due to water scarcity, we cannot irrigate them and continue farming. I have no other job or income and am forced to transport fuel."
Deadly incidents and the bitter life of fuel carriers
Sohail mentions the unfortunate incidents that occur for fuel carriers and says: "Many people have accidents while transporting fuel and lose their lives. To escape from thieves or authorities, they drive at high speeds, which doubles the dangers of this job." He also refers to an incident in which a ١٧-year-old boy died in a fire caused by an accident.
Sohail's wife, referring to the living conditions in the area, says: "Our men turn to fuel transportation due to unemployment and lack of alternatives. No one wants to ride on a bomb and lose their life on this path."
She emphasizes that if there were other job opportunities, many fuel carriers would not be willing to continue this work. This issue highlights the critical economic situation in this area and the need to address the job and livelihood needs of its people.
Finally, Sohail points out the severe dangers of this job and mentions his wife's companionship in fuel transportation trips: "She says she doesn’t want to leave me alone on the road; if we are to die, let’s go and die together."
Read more: Joint management plan for the Strait of Hormuz proposed by Tarek M. Youssef and Paul D. Dyer · Discovery of ٦٠,٠٠٠ liters of smuggled diesel in Ahvaz by Khuzestan police
