Petroleum dealers and pump owners have threated the government to go on a nationwide strike from tomorrow amid supply shortages of octane and diesel.

Frustrated over the rationing of fuel oils introduced by the authorities from March 6, the Bangladesh Petrol Pump Owners’ Association at a press briefing in the past week pressed their demand for adequate supplies of the items.

On Saturday, regional petrol pump owners associations in Rajshahi and Khulna drummed up their support for a nationwide strike ahead of tomorrow.

State minister for energy, power and mineral resources Anindya Islam Amit told New Age on Saturday that they would reveal fresh decisions regarding the rationing system today.

The fuel oils rationing, introduced by the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, following the joint strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, and retaliation by Tehran in the US interests in the Gulf, home of 50 per cent of global petroleum supply, threatening supply shortages of fuel oils in many countries.

Under the rationing system, pick-ups and local buses are entitled to 70–80 litres of diesel daily from filling stations.

According to the current system: daily rationing for long haul buses, trucks, covered vans and container trucks is 200–220 litres, for sports utility vehicles, ‘jeeps’ and microbuses is 20–25 litres of octane or petrol, for private car drivers is 2 litres of octane and 10 litres of petrol.

Motor bikers have been given 2 litres each day.

However the amount was increased to 5 litre for the ride shares.

On Saturday, New Age staff correspondent in Rajshahi reported that petrol pump owners in the district said that they would stop lifting fuel from depots from Monday if authorities failed to ensure adequate supply.

They alleged that they were incurring financial losses under the current distribution routine, while it also caused operational uncertainty for the filling stations.

Monimul Haque, president of the Rajshahi district petrol pump owners’ association, revealed that following a meeting of the association on the day they took decision to go on strike from tomorrow.

Many filling stations were receiving far less fuel oils than they needed to run their operation, with some getting only half of their demand, while others were receiving none at all, he also said.

The shortages triggered uncertainty among pump operators and often left stations without fuel by the evening, he alleged, adding that transporting fuel from depots had also become financially unsustainable due to the limited supply.

He urged the authorities to ensure adequate fuel supply to avoid disruption in transportation services in the region, particularly ahead of the Eid travel rush.

New Age staff correspondent from Chattogram reported that supply shortages in the port city brought serius suffering for vehicle drivers and general consumers.

Long queues have been reported at filling stations across Chattogram.

Quoting Bangladesh Petroleum Dealer, Distributor, Agent and Petrol Pump Owners Association general secretary Moin Uddin, the Chattogram correspondent also reported that many pumps in the area returned customers empty-handed amid serious shortages.

Chattogram division had around 200 filling stations most of which were facing growing disappointment from the consumers, said Moin Uddin.

Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents and Petrol Pump Owners Association convener Syed Sazzadul Karim said that if the situation continued, pump owners might face difficulties in paying salaries and festival allowances to workers.

New Age staff correspondent in Sylhet reported that the rationing system in the wake of war in the Gulf had been affecting consumers in the division too.

Quoting Sylhet Petrol Pump Owners’ Association assistant secretary Riasat Azim, the New Age correspondent, however, reported that the region did not yet have a diesel crisis.

Azim, also the owner of Bengal Gasoline, a filling station in Sobhanighat area in the city, said that diesel-using vehicles were getting fuel supplies as much they were asking for.

Only the supplies of petrol and octane to motorcyclists are being rationed, he said, adding that a motorcycle is allowed to have petrol or octane worth Tk 300 every day.