Petrol pump owners withdraw strike

The government has decided to accept 50 per cent increase in commission on sales of fuel oil demanded by the filling stations, reports UNB. The decision was taken at an unscheduled meeting with petrol pump owners this evening. "It has been decided to fulfil 50 percent of their commission hike demand and rest to be resolved by next three months. In view of that we expect they would withdraw the strike," Muktadir Ali, Chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) told UNB after the meeting. Following the government decision, petrol pump owners and tank-lorry workers withdrew the strike from May 22, Nazmul Haq, convenor of their unity council, told UNB at 10-15 pm. Their other demands include formulation of a policy-guideline in approving petrol pump business, establishing of tank-lorry terminal at the fuel depots and renovation of the existing ones. Earlier, the petrol pump owners and tank-lorry workers called for a countrywide non-stop strike from May 22 to press home their various demands including raising the sales commission from existing 2 per cent to 3.4 per cent for diesel and 4 per cent for octane and petrol.