TDS  Desk:

A continuous strike by tanker workers in Khulna since Sunday has halted fuel oil transportation from the Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna oil depots, raising fears of a fuel shortage in 16 districts.

The protest stems from the arrest of Ali Azim, general secretary of the Khulna Divisional Tanker Workers’ Union.

The strike has caused significant disruption to fuel supply chains, with stocks running dangerously low at petrol pumps across the region.

At Messrs. KCC Petroleum in Khulna city’s Ferighat intersection, octane stocks have been depleted, and limited quantities of diesel and petrol are expected to run out soon.

Similarly, at the Al Arafa petrol pump in Bagerhat, diesel stocks are exhausted, while petrol and octane may only last another day. This grim picture extends across Khulna, Bagerhat, Jessore, and surrounding districts.

Protesters demand the release of Ali Azim, who was arrested in connection with a vandalism case at a BNP office in Khalishpur, and the withdrawal of charges against nine union leaders.

On Monday, the court sent Azim to jail after his arrest by DB police on August 21 in a sabotage case filed with the Khalishpur police station.

The indefinite strike will persist until these demands are met, according to union leaders.

BNP leader Riaz Shahed claimed Ali Azim has long been associated with Awami League politics, despite his previous affiliation with BNP.

He criticized Azim’s role in suppressing the July-August movement and accused Awami League-affiliated groups of actively working to secure his release.

In contrast, Daulatpur Thana BNP Secretary Sheikh Imam Hossain clarified that BNP has no connection to the ongoing protest.

He emphasized that the police acted lawfully by arresting Azim in a criminal case and called for strict action against those trying to disrupt law and order.

Khalishpur police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Rafiqul Islam said: “Ali Azim has been arrested in a criminal case, and his release cannot occur without legal proceedings.”

He also confirmed that Azim shifted from BNP to Awami League politics in recent years.

Mujibur Rahman, a leader of the West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited, criticized the protest, suggesting it lacks credibility and legitimacy.

He said that Azim’s arrest was justified and accused protest organizers of acting without proper logic.

Despite differing opinions, the tanker workers remain steadfast in their demands, warning of intensified protests if the situation remains unresolved. Meanwhile, concerns over a fuel crisis grow as pump reserves dwindle.