Protest against fuel price hike across the country

The government has increased the fuel oil price again by a big margin in the country. The information has been released by a press release from the power, energy and mineral resources ministry issued on Friday.

According to the notification diesel price has been increased by Tk 34 to Tk 114 per litre while octane price hiked by Tk 46 to Tk 135 and petrol by Tk 44 to Tk 130.

The new price has been effective since 12:00 PM on Friday. Petrol pumps in the district were closed before 12 midnights on the news of price increase. Drivers of various vehicles, including motorcycles, have started protesting by blocking roads at various places.

Authorities closed almost all the filling stations on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at Sreepur in Gazipur at 10:30 pm on Friday. Over two hundred customers blocked the highway in protest.

Motorcyclists blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway in front of the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology as the petrol pumps were closed in Rajshahi.

Motorcyclists blocked the Satkhira-Khulna highway in front of the AB Khan petrol pump in Satkhira town as the sale of petrol and octane was off. After 15 minutes of blocking the road, the police removed them from the road.

The authorities have closed the pumps in Sylhet before 12 midnights. The motorcyclists blocked the roads in protest of this.

Earlier in November last year, the government increased the price of diesel and kerosene by Tk 15 to Tk 80 per litre. Before that, the price of these fuels was Tk 65.

The release reads Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) incurred loss of over Tk 8 billion in selling oil in last six months. Due to the current global market situation, reasonable price adjustment has become necessary to keep the import activities of BPC stable.

State minister Nasrul Hamid said the price will be reconsidered if the situation improves.