Strike at CNG refueling pumps postponed till Aug 24

CNG refueling station owners have postponed their nonstop countrywide strike till August 24 in response to a government request. The strike was scheduled to begin at 6am on Sunday. President of Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners’ Association Zakir Hossain Nayan on Saturday said they have postponed the strike responding to a request of State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid Bipu. The association leaders held a meeting with the state minister at his residence in the city from 12noon to 2pm today and agreed to postpone the strike. Contacted over phone, the state minister also confirmed about the postponement of the strike. Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners’ Association had earlier announced the strike to realise their 5-point demand. Their demands are raising CNG (compressed natural gas) price when power tariff is raised, enhancing station owners’ commission margin to Tk 2.98 from Tk 0.12 on the sale of per cubic metre of CNG, issuing 15 days’ gas bill instead of monthly bill by gas companies, putting forward the issue of new gas connection to 54 CNG refueling stations to a high-level committee, and taking measures to install EVC metres at CNG stations, according to UNB.