Rajshahi petrol pump owners call for strike from 1 August, demanding commission increase
The Petrol Pump Owners Association has declared that they will cease the extraction and transportation of fuel oil in the Rajshahi division from 1 August if their three-point demand, which includes a 7.5% increase in commission, is not fulfilled by that time.
The decision was made by the petrol pump owners association in the Betgari area of Bogura on Saturday.
The other two demands include an extension of the economic life of fuel oil tankers to 50 years and the issuance of a gazette after increasing the commission, as stated by Mizanur Rahman Ratan, the president of the association's Rajshahi divisional committee.
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Mizanur Rahman Ratan mentioned that fuel traders have been persistently requesting an increase in the dealer's commission for the sale of fuel oil. Although stakeholders have made repeated promises regarding the raise, it has not been implemented yet. Despite the doubling of fuel oil prices, the commission has remained nearly the same.
Md Mizanur Rahman highlighted the discrepancy in commissions received by auto gas stations (LPG) and petrol-octane traders. LPG stations receive Tk8 (17%) commission for selling at Tk46 per liter, while petrol-octane traders receive Tk4 or 3% commission for selling at Tk130 per liter.
This means that fuel traders are receiving a minimum commission despite investing three times more money than LPG stations, he added.
President Mizanur Rahman further mentioned that the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has suddenly stopped renewing all documents for tankers that are more than 25 years old without any prior announcement.
He emphasised that tankers operate as a one-way service, coming empty and returning after transporting fuel. These tankers transport fuel oil from the depot within a range of 100 to 150 km, operating only 2 to 3 days a week.
Rahman argued that if buses, trucks, and covered vans are granted an economic life of 25 years, tankers should easily be eligible for 75 years considering these factors.
