An indefinite strike called by fuel traders in Khulna is underway since this morning (September 03, 2023) to realise their three-point demand including hiking commission on fuel sales. Moving fuel from Padma, Jamuna and Meghna oil depots has remained suspended since 8 am. Bangladesh Tank-Lorry Owners’ Association, Bangladesh Fuel Oil Distributors Association, Khulna Divisional Tank-Lorry Workers’ Union and Padma, Meghna and Jamuna Tank-Lorry Workers’ Welfare Association are observing the strike. Their demands include raising commission on fuel sales to at least 7.5 percent, setting the tank-lorry economic life to 50 years, and issuing a gazette notification mentioning fuel traders as commission agents as per previous pledges. Read: Khulna fuel traders threaten strike from Sept 3 if demands not met As news of the strike surfaced earlier, a huge number of motorbikes and private vehicles were seen forming queues at fuel pumps in Khulna on Saturday night. Claiming their demands as logical, Md Muraduzzaman, a leader of petrol pump owners’ association, said they were forced to start the strike from Sunday morning as their demands were not met by August 31. The strike will end when their three-point demand is met, he said. Read: Sylhet’s Osmani hospital’s intern doctors call off strike

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.

Fuel traders and tank-lorry owners went on a 12-hour strike on Monday morning in 15 districts of Khulna division to press home their three-point demand, including hike in commission on fuel sale and readjustment of transport fare following the latest hike in fuel prices. The strike started at 6 am and will continue till 6 pm, said Sheikh Murad Hossain, general secretary of Khulna Divisional Committee of Bangladesh Fuel Distributors Association. Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents and Petrol Pump Owners Association have stopped collection of fuel from Padma, Meghna and Jamuna depots. Read: Fuel price hike: Tank-lorry owners call off strike in Khulna Murad Hossain said this strike is also being observed by stopping fuel collection from the depots of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions. However, fuel sale from petrol pumps is continuing, he added. The government hiked the prices of fuel by a big margin on August 5. Diesel prices were increased by Tk 34 to Tk 114 per litre, octane by Tk 46 to Tk 135 per litre and petrol by Tk 44 to Tk 130 a litre. The government also recently embarked on rationing of power to tackle the ongoing energy crisis in the country.

Fuel oil traders will go for an indefinite strike from February 17 in 15 districts of Khulna division to press home their six-point demand including 7% hike in commission on fuel sale. General Secretary of the Tank-Lorry Owners Association  Sheikh Farhad Hossain  announced the decision on Saturday night. READ: Tank-lorry owners to go on indefinite strike Jan 3 During the strike, fuel lifting from Padma, Jamuna and Meghna depots will remain suspended, he said. Publishing the commission for agents  in gazette form, Tk 5 lakh insurance for tank-lorry workers for any accident and establishment of rest houses for tank-lorry workers in different areas are also among their demands. READ: Sylhet transport workers' indefinite strike withdrawn after one day