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The Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association on Monday withdrew its planned nationwide shutdown of CNG filling stations scheduled for July 30, citing the ongoing gas supply crisis triggered by a fire at an LNG terminal in Maheshkhali.
The announcement came at a press conference held at Akram Tower in Bijoynagar, Dhaka.
The association had earlier announced that all CNG filling stations across the country would remain closed from 6:00am to midnight on July 30 in protest against the government’s failure to increase the sales commission on compressed natural gas (CNG).
Association leaders said the programme had been suspended to avoid adding to public suffering at a time when gas shortages are already disrupting supplies nationwide.
“We do not want to increase public hardship. Gas supply has already been affected due to the situation in Maheshkhali, and we believe our programme should not worsen the crisis,” said the association’s General Secretary, Farhan Noor.
Bangladesh imports liquefied natural gas (LNG) through two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) off Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar. Gas supply from one of the terminals was suspended after a fire broke out there last Tuesday, leading to reduced gas availability across the country.
Despite withdrawing the July 30 programme, the association warned that it would proceed with an indefinite nationwide shutdown of all CNG filling stations from August 23 if its long-standing demands remain unmet.
Steering Committee Convener Amiruzzaman Chowdhury said station owners have repeatedly sought a revision of the commission structure but have received only assurances without any concrete action.
The association noted that the commission on CNG sales has remained unchanged at Tk 8 per cubic metre since September 2015, despite sharp increases in inflation, workers’ wages, equipment costs, bank charges, land lease fees and government licensing costs. It has demanded that the commission be raised to Tk 13.96 per cubic metre to ensure the financial viability of CNG filling stations.