Filling owners, tanker workers threaten strike

Owners and workers of filling stations and fuel tankers yesterday threatened to go on an indefinite strike from 6:00am on October 30 if their 12-point demand, including reduction of fees and increase of commission, remained unmet.

Nazmul Hoque, convener of Bangladesh Petrol Pump O Tank Lorry Malik Sramik Oikya Parishad, which observed a nine-hour strike on August 28, made the announcement at a press conference at a hotel in the capital.

If found to be logical, the demands will be met, State Minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid told The Daily Star.

Filling stations pay some fees annually to Roads and Highways Department, including one for use of space connecting the stations to the road.

Nazmul claimed that filling stations outside metropolitan areas now have to pay over Tk 2 lakh in fees for what they previously paid only Tk 400 for due to “abnormal”, “unrealistic” and “unimaginable” increases brought about in October last year.

The commission increase demand was from 4.03 to 7 percent for the total octane and petrol sales and 2.7 to 5 percent for diesel sales, he added. He alleged their petitions to government authorities concerned for the last couple of years went unheeded. “We want the prime minister's intervention,” said Nazmul.  The parishad says there are around 7,000 filling stations and 26,000 fuel tanks in Bangladesh.