LPG traders call off strike

The LPG Gas Traders’ Cooperative Society Limited today, Thursday, withdrew its indefinite nationwide strike on LPG marketing and supply.

The organisation’s president, Md Selim Khan, informed journalists of the decision after a meeting at the office of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) in Dhaka.

At the meeting, the leaders placed three demands: stopping the ongoing administrative drives across the country, increasing charges for distributors and retailers, and ensuring uninterrupted supply.

BERC Chairman Jalal Ahmed assured that they would talk to the administration regarding the ongoing drives and take legal steps to increase the charges.

Jalal Ahmed also said that the LPG operators’ organisation had informed them that alternative arrangements had been made to import products despite the ship shortage. As a result, the supply situation may become somewhat normal within the next week.

However, Selim Khan said they have to pay more than Tk 1,300 just to purchase a cylinder from the operators. Therefore, it is not possible for them to sell a 12-kg cylinder at a price below Tk 1,500.

Meanwhile, the BERC chairman said he sees no justification for selling LPG at a price higher than Tk 1,306, which has been fixed for January.

The LPG Gas Traders’ Cooperative Society Limited announced yesterday, Wednesday, that LPG cylinder sales would remain suspended from this morning. The organisation said LPG cylinder supply and sales would remain halted across the country until their demands were met.

The LPG Gas Traders’ Cooperative Society Limited sells LPG cylinders in the market.

It has been learned that LPG cylinder sales were suspended in Dhaka, Gazipur, Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar and Habiganj on Thursday morning, but LPG sales are continuing in elsewhere in the country.