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The Bangladesh Petrol Pump and Tank Lorry Owners Unity Council bagged assurance from state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) of ‘reviewing’ fuel sales commission within 15 working days amid its observance of eight-hour strike until 2:00 pm Sunday.
The council leaders also demanded to press home their other demands within two months threatening to enforce strike again, if these were not met in their given time.
The petrol pump and tank lorry owners enforced their strike from 6am in the morning as announced earlier, to press home their seven-point demand including raising of fuel sales commission by upto to 7.0 per cent.
During their 8-hour strike time, they held a meeting with the BPC leaders and called off their strike around one-hour ahead of their strike time, as announced earlier.
As previously announced, petroleum sales, transportation and distribution were suspended nationwide during the strike time.
Supply of jet fuel for international flights and Hajj pilgrims was, however, remained uninterrupted.
Fuel supplies for ambulances and fire service vehicles were exempted from the strike, while police vehicles under fuel supply agreements were allowed to refuel at the petrol pumps.
Apart from raising fuel sales commission other demands of the council includes maintaining existing lease fees set by the Roads and Highways Department, renewing pump access road leases upon submission of pay orders and applications, limiting Bangladesh Standard & Testing Institute (BSTI’s) role to verifying measurements and stamping fuel dispensers, eliminating fees and registrations for underground tank calibration and dip rod testing.
Lifting the requirement for environmental, factory and fire service licenses, banning unlicensed indoor and open-air fuel vending machines, halting direct oil sales by marketing companies without dealership and simplifying the licensing and renewal process for tank lorry drivers, were also among their demands.
The council had announced their strike programme on May 11 through a press conference warning of eight-hour work abstention on 25 May, if their demands were not fulfilled by 24th May.
The Unity Council is a combined platform comprising the Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association and the Bangladesh Tank Lorry Owners Association.
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