Energy Ministry to sit with CNG pump owners today to avert strike

UNB, Dhaka

As the CNG pump owners moved to go on strike from August 1 to realize their 6-point demands, the Energy Ministry is going to sit with them today (Monday) to find a settlement on the issues and avert the planned shutdown.
According to official sources, an invitation letter was sent to the pump owners' organization-Bangladesh CNG Filling Station & Conversion Workshop Owners Association (BCFSCWOA)-asking them to sit in a meeting on Monday at the Energy Ministry. Energy Secretary Mohammad Mohsin will preside.
Officials of Rupantarita Prakritik Gas Company Limited (RPGCL), which is the licensing authority of CNG pump and conversion business, have also been asked by the Energy Ministry to be present at the meeting.
However, the leaders of BCFSCWOA expressed their frustration over the invitation, saying that such official-level meeting does not produce any outcome.
"We've had similar meetings twice. But our problems still remained unresolved. We want to hold meeting with the political leadership who can understand our problems with due importance. We want to meet the state minister for power and energy," said a top leader of the BCFSCWOA.
The BCFSCWOA's 6-point demands include reducing the gas price to Tk 13.26 from the existing Tk 16.75 per cubic metre at the consumer level, fixing feed gas price Tk 5.23 like other industries, cancelling the minimum billing system, installing electronic volume conductor (EVC) on
emergency basis, reducing BERC licence fee to Tk 5,000 from existing Tk 1 lakh, cancelling the cash security deposit system and exempting the CNG stations from NOC of Environment Department.
Meanwhile, the BCFSCWOA today brought out a car rally in the city in support of their demands, which drove through different roads.
BCFSCWOA Senior
Vice-President Manoranjan Bhakt and general secretary Zakir Hossain Nayon led the rally.