Fuel station owners’ demands to be resolved by Jan 31
The truckers and petrol pump owners will not go for any tough movement in the meantime
A high-powered committee will be formed to resolve the demands of the truckers and fuel station owners by January 31 next.
In the meantime, the Bangladesh Petrol Pump and Tank-Lorry Owners-Workers Unity Council will not go on any tough movement like a strike.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid Bipu said this on Sunday after emerging from a meeting with the stakeholders in Dhaka.
The unity council leaders and representatives from the home ministry, the industries ministry, the explosives department, and the fire service department were also present at the meeting.
Nasrul Hamid said the committee will verify the protesters'' 15-point charter of demands, which include a hike in commission on fuel sales and an increase in tank-lorry fair.
"The committee will have your representatives. We will certainly meet the demands if those are logical," the minister said addressing the protesters.
He requested the fuel station owners not to go for any tough movement.
Bipu said, "We have a responsibility to the people. Please do not make them suffer. This creates a negative image."
The minister also urged the petrol pump owners not to adulterate fuel.
The unity council went for an indefinite fuel strike in Khulna, Rajshahi and Rangpur division on December 1 to press home their 15-point charter of demands.
On December 2, the strike was postponed after a meeting with the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation in Dhaka.
During the Sunday's meeting, Joint Secretary to the Power Division Md Sher Ali said they had finalised a proposal for raising commission on fuel sales.
"We have proposed to raise the commission on petrol sale to Tk3.90 from Tk3.66. Meantime, the tank-lorry fair has been proposed at Tk3.90 per kilometre from present Tk2.22," he added.
Senior Secretary to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem, Senior Secretary to the Road Transport Department Nazrul Islam and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation Chairman Shamsur Rahman were also present at the meeting.
