Petrol pump owners’ strike halts oil supply in 21 dists

Supply of fuel came to a halt this morning as petrol pump owners went on an indefinite strike in three divisions -- Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Khulna -- to press home their 15-point demand.

Three state-own oil deports Padma, Meghna and Jamuna failed to supply oil from Khulna to 21 districts in Khulna, Barishal and greater Faridpur.

Leaders of Bangladesh Petrol Pump O Tank Lorry Malik Shramik Oikya Parishad have announcement the indefinite strike yesterday.

Hundreds of oil tank lorry were seen stranded on roads in Khalishpur and Daulatpur areas of Khulna city, reports our district correspondent.

Talking to The Daily Star, Sheikh Nur Islam, president of Khulna divisional Tank Lorry workers 'Union, said, “We, the workers, refrained ourselves from loading or unloading oil at the deports.”

“This morning, we organised a meeting at our divisional office at Notun Rasta intersection where we decided to continue the strike until our demands are met,” he said.

The demands include paying 7.5 percent commission on fuel sale, introducing accident insurance of Tk 5 lakh for Tank Lorry workers, increasing fare of Tank Lorry, and stopping police harassment.

According to UNB, the leaders of Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners’ Association on November 26 gave authorities an ultimatum until yesterday to fulfil their demands.

Sale and transportation of fuel around 2,000 petrol pumps in Rajshahi, Rangpur, and Khulna will be put to a halt during the strike, MA Momin Dulal, senior vice-president of the association, told UNB yesterday.

Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources called the leaders to sit in a meeting with him on December 15, which they rejected, the agency said quoting Dulal.