The Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association has announced a nationwide shutdown of CNG filling stations from 6am to 12 midnight on July 30, demanding an increase in the commission on compressed natural gas (CNG) sales.
The association also warned that if its demands are not met, CNG filling stations across the country will remain closed indefinitely from August 23.
The announcement was made at a press conference held at Akram Tower in the capital's Bijoynagar on Tuesday.
Reading out a written statement, Steering Committee Convener Amiruzzaman Chowdhury said all CNG filling stations would remain closed on July 30 while discussions with the government continue.
"If our demands remain unmet, CNG filling stations across the country will shut down indefinitely from August 23," he said.
Association leaders said the commission on CNG sales has remained unchanged at Tk8 per cubic metre since September 1, 2015, despite a sharp rise in inflation, workers' wages, equipment prices, bank charges, lease fees for Roads and Highways Department land and various government licence fees over the past 11 years.
They demanded that the commission be increased to Tk13.96 per cubic metre, an increase of Tk5.96 from the current rate.
The association also called for an automatic adjustment of the commission whenever gas prices are increased in the future. It urged the government to stop requiring additional security deposits from existing customers following gas price hikes and to rationalise lease fees charged by the Roads and Highways Department, as well as licence fees imposed by different government agencies.
The owners said that, under previous government commitments, the commission should have increased by Tk3.30 in line with gas price adjustments and by another Tk2.46 following eight hikes in electricity tariffs. Combined, they argued, their justified commission should have reached Tk13.10 per cubic metre at the beginning of 2024.
The association's general secretary added that a further 19% increase in electricity prices in June had raised operating costs by an additional Tk0.86 per cubic metre. He said the demand for a commission of Tk13.96 was based solely on government recommendations, inflation and higher electricity costs, without factoring in other rising operational expenses.
Association leaders said they had submitted letters outlining their demands to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) and the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources but received no response. They also failed to secure a meeting with the adviser concerned.
As a result, they convened an emergency general meeting on Saturday and formed a 12-member steering committee, which subsequently decided to announce the shutdown program.