In light of the current fuel crisis, Sylhet's fuel traders will go on an indefinite strike from Wednesday.

Sylhet Divisional Committee of Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petroleum Owners Association has announced the indefinite strike after an emergency meeting on Saturday.

According to their decision, traders will cease purchasing from the depot beginning next Wednesday (January 18) and cease selling to consumers from the following Sunday (January 22)  for an indefinite period.

“The supply of fuel has long fallen short of the demand. The Sylhet oil traders have no choice but to protest,” said the speakers in the meeting.

According to Sylhet fuel traders, the district's oil pumps have been running low on fuel for a long time due to the irregular movement of railway wagons from Chattagram to Sylhet.

Previously, condensate (a mixture of light liquid hydrocarbons) obtained from Sylhet's gas fields was converted to petrol in multiple Sylhet plants. Since these government-owned plants were shut down, the condensate is now converted to petrol in Chittagong by a private plant.

The district's fuel traders claimed that depot officials' inaction caused the crisis.

"Authorities have repeatedly failed to supply fuel oil. They're just making excuses, and traders are suffering severe losses as a result. That is why we called a strike," said Jubaer Ahmed Chowdhury,  Central Secretary General and President of Sylhet Divisional Committee.

Jubaer along with Humayun Ahmed,  General Secretary, made the announcement.