Petrol station owners continue strike for second day

The sale of fuel oil has been stalled for a second straight day in Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna divisions after petrol station owners started an indefinite strike to press home a 15-point charter of demands.

Bangladesh Petrol Pump and Lorry Tank Malik-Sramik Oikya Parishad and Jalani Tel Paribeshak Samity enforced the strike on Sunday, leading to a halt in movement of oil-powered vehicles in  26 districts.

“We are going to meet with Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation officials at 11am,” MA Momin Dulal, senior vice president of Bangladesh Petrol Pump and Lorry Tank Malik-Sramik Oikya Parishad and Jalani Tel Paribeshak Samity, said on Monday.

"Our demands will be discussed in that meeting. If we are satisfied with the talks, we will proceed to take the next decision.”

The organisations had given the government until Nov 30 to fulfil their demands. However, the energy ministry failed to take appropriate measures by the deadline, which led to the strike.

The demands include a minimum of 7.5 percent commission on fuel sales, determining whether fuel traders were commission agents or manufacturers and accident insurance of Tk 500,000 for tank lorry workers.

“Our principal demand is for the fuel commission. We extract, market and carry the oil but do not produce it. However, various provisions under the factory law, such as noise pollution, are being imposed on us,” said Dulal.

Dulal warned that the strike will extend to other districts as well if their demands are not met.