Staff Reporter:

Petrol pump owners and workers in the Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions on Wednesday observed an indefinite strike halting fuel supply and distribution to 16 districts of the northern region including Sirajganj.

The strike, organised by the Rajshahi Division’s Petrol Pump Owners-Workers Unity Council, comes in response to an eviction drive carried out by the Roads and Highways Department without prior notice.

The abrupt fuel supply disruption has severely impacted transportation, leaving many vehicles stranded, particularly motorcyclists who were unaware about the strike. Only those, who stocked up on fuel in advance were able to continue their commute.

The strike was announced on February 4 in a statement, signed by Md Mizanur Rahman Ratan, President of Rajshahi unit of Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petrol Pump Owners Association, and Md Abdul Jalil, general secretary of the organisation.

The statement condemned the unexpected eviction of two petrol pumps in Santahar, Naogaon, by the Roads and Highways Department, terming it an “unjust and unreasonable” move that has left petrol pump owners frustrated and tense.

Monimul Haque, President of the Rajshahi District Petrol Pump Owners Association, expressed concerns over the sudden eviction, saying, “We lease small portions of government land in front of our pumps to accommodate large vehicles. Without any prior notice, they launched an eviction drive, putting our businesses at risk.”

The strike has caused significant inconvenience to daily commuters. Enayet Rahman, a motorcyclist, said, “I had no idea about the strike. When I came to refuel, I found all pumps closed. Without fuel, how are we supposed to travel?”

With no immediate resolution in sight, the strike continues to disrupt transportation and fuel supply across the northern region including Sirajganj district.

The President of the Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petrol Pump Owners Association, and the General Secretary of the Central Association, Mizanur Rahman Ratan, told that the Roads and Highways Department carried out an eviction drive using bulldozers at two petrol pumps in Santahar on Tuesday without any prior notice.

In protest, petrol pump owners in the Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions have gone on strike. He further stated that they have had various demands over time, particularly regarding the exorbitant fee increase—40 times higher—for entry and exit from petrol pumps on highways, as per a recently published gazette by the Roads and Highways Department. Petrol pump owners have been dissatisfied with this unreasonable fee hike as well.

Abdul Aziz, General Secretary of Sirajganj District Pump Owners Association said, “Due to strike, lifting and distributing of fuel oils from Baghabari depots as well as different pumps have remained suspended that causes suffering to the commuters. Movement of most vehicles will be stopped within one or two days, if the strike continues.