Dhaka Bureau: Fuel oil traders and dealers authorized by the government and BPC have been announced as commission agents in fuel oil marketing. The Department of Energy and Mineral Resources published the gazette in this regard on Saturday (September 2) night. Signed by Deputy Secretary Sheikh Mohammad Belayet Hossain. The Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners Association has been demanding this for a long time. A section of the association has called for an indefinite strike starting Sunday with three demands, including an increase in commission.
After publication of the gazette, Secretary General of the Petrol Pump Owners Association, Bir Muktijoddha Mizanur Rahman Ratan, said, Only one claim has been accepted by declaring us as commission agents. Till now, we were considered an industry, and we had to get licenses from many places, including the factory inspectorate. Now I will get rid of the harassment of all those licenses.
However, no decision has been taken regarding the increase in the main claim commission. That’s why nothing can be said about the strike right now. We are contacting people and may not be able to contact everyone overnight. Because of that, there may be a strike tomorrow, maybe a withdrawal from September 4. In response to a question, he said that currently there is a commission of 2 percent on diesel, 3 percent on gasoline, and 4 percent on octane. We have proposed to make this commission 7.5 percent. Oil prices have gone up, and our investment has gone up. But the commission did not increase.
On the other hand, another group issued a statement suspending the strike until September 30 on the assurance of the Minister of State for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources. Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petrol Pump Owners Association Acting Secretary General Mir Ahsan Uddin Parvez has said in the notice that all the claims of petrol pump owners were discussed in a meeting with the Minister of State for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources on August 29. In that meeting, the demands of the petrol pump owners were assured to be implemented by September 30.
Therefore, everyone’s cooperation is requested to maintain normal oil extraction from all depots during that period. The three-point demand of the owners’ association includes: fixing the fuel oil sales commission at 7.50 percent. Publish in the gazette that petrol pump dealers are commission agents. (a) a clear gazette publication to the effect that VAT is not attached to the rent of tanks. (b) Publication of clear gazettes separately for the economic life of tancolries beyond 25 years
