Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association (BCFSCWWA) has called strike for an indefinite period across the country from October 30.
The association in a press conference in the city on Wednesday announced the strike programme, if their three basic demands are not met in the meantime. The demands included withdrawal of unusual increase of lease money imposed on CNG stations by Roads and Highway Department, cancellation of recent gas price hike initiative and quick implementation of Energy Division’s recommendation for CNG filling stations.
On the other hand, petrol pump owners who sells octane, diesel and petrol, have also declared solidarity with the announcement of CNG pump owners.
Addressing the press conference president Masud Khan and general secretary Farhan Noor Bhuiyan of the association said, Roads and Highway Department in a notification informed different CNG pumps the new leasing charge.
As per the notification the leasing money has been increased 188 times from the existing charge in the metropolitan areas while 22 time higher outside the metropolitan areas. Such lease money hiking is a threat for running the CNG pumps and most of the pumps owner will become bankrupt if the enhance money has to be paid, they said.
With the government encouragement over 500 CNG pumps owner invested about Tk 3500 crore and over 5 lakh vehicles have been converted to CNG, but the leasing charge hike in unusual level has pushed the CNG pumps owner to deep trouble.
They urged the government immediately withdraw the enhance leasing money and meet the other demands within the period otherwise they will go on strike for an indefinite period from October 30.
