Faction of petrol pump owners call strike from Sunday

A faction of Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association (BPPOA) has announced to go on a strike at petrol pumps across the country from Sunday (3 September) to realise its 3-point demand.

The demands are setting the fuel oil sales commission at 7.50%, publishing gazette recognising petrol pump owners as commission agents, clear announcement through gazette notification that value added tax (VAT) would not be applicable on the fares of tank-lorries and also gazette notification fixing the economic life of tank lorries which are over 25 years old.

Earlier, the faction of the BPPOA, led by Syed Sazzadul Karim Kabul and Mizanur Rahman Ratan, president and secretary general respectively, announced the strike programme at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on 27 August. They said that the members of the organisation will begin the strike for an indefinite period at the petrol pumps from September 2 unless their demands are met by 31 August.

Meanwhile, the other faction of the BPPOA, led by Nazmul Haque and Mir Ahsan Uddin Parvez, president and acting secretary general respectively, in a press release informed that a meeting was held with State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid where the petrol pump owners were assured of implementing all demands of the organisation by 30 September.

"So, the pump owners will continue their all business without any disruption including receiving petroleum oils from depots and transportation," said the statement.