Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workers’ Owners’ Association has called an indefinite strike across the country starting from 6am on Friday, hours after the government announced to keep CNG stations closed for six hours during Ramadan.
While talking to Dhaka Tribune after a meeting of the association Thursday afternoon, Zakir Hossain Noyan, president of the association, said the decision of the enforcing the strike was taken to protest “harassment of mobile courts.”
The meeting was held at the body’s Bijoy Nagar office in the capital.
In a statement, Noyan alleged that a certain mobile court led by an executive magistrate, attached to the energy ministry, had been harassing the filling station owners by “fining millions of Taka, which is completely illegal.”
However, earlier the association urged the government not to extend the timeframe of keeping the filling stations shut from four hours to six hours. The association also threatened to enforce a strike if the government does not pay heed to their urge.
While asked, Zakir, said there was no connection between tomorrow’s strike and the government imposed latest restriction on filling stations.
Raja Mohammad Abdul Hye, executive magistrate to the energy ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune: "The CNG owners raised allegation against me as I took legal action against them for operating business illegally. The strike they enforce in this regard is totally unethical. Mobile court fined the CNG stations on specific charges."
As many as 565 CNG filling stations are currently operating in the country.
The government on Thursday decided to keep the CNG filling stations closed from 3pm to 9pm during the month of Ramadan to ensure an uninterrupted supply of electricity to households.
