Nationwide shutdown withdrawn, CNG stations to remain open on July 30

The shutdown programme of all CNG stations across the country on July 30 has been withdrawn. According to the station owners' association, all CNG stations will remain open on that day.

The association leaders announced the withdrawal of their programme at a press conference at Akram Tower in the capital's Bijoynagar on Monday. The association said the decision to withdraw the programme was made due to the ongoing gas crisis across the country.

The Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners' Association had earlier announced that all CNG stations would remain closed on July 30, with four demands including an increase in commission.

Although the July 30 programme has been withdrawn, the authorities have been given until August 22 to meet the demands.

The association leaders also said that if the demands are not met, the decision to shut down all CNG filling stations indefinitely from August 23 will remain in effect.

The association's four-point demands include: increasing the commission on CNG sales per cubic metre from Tk 8 to at least Tk 13.96; introducing an automatic commission adjustment mechanism in case of future fuel price hikes; abolishing the practice of collecting additional security deposits from old customers due to gas price increases; and reducing licence and renewal fees from various government agencies, including land lease fees from the Roads and Highways Department, to a reasonable level.