Refueling stations to remain open during 10-day holiday
As emergency service providers, petrol pumps and CNG refueling stations will remain out of the purview of the general holidays
Petrol pumps and CNG refueling stations will remain open during the 10-day holiday from Thursday to April 4.
The government has slapped a countrywide ban on public transportation, launch and air services during the period. However, emergency services like ambulances or goods-laden vehicles will remain outside of the prohibition.
"Refueling stations will remain open under the emergency service category," said Md Sarwar Alam, director (Operations and Planning) of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.
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"Despite the suspension of public transportation, petrol pumps will be kept operational during the period," he added.
However, he commented that demand for fuel will fall drastically owing to the suspension of public transportation.
Currently, the country has a demand of 18,000 tonnes of fuel per day. This amount has been estimated to drop nearly 10,000 tonnes during the period.
Meanwhile, "CNG refueling stations across the country will also be in service providing compressed natural gas for CNG-run vehicles," said Farhan Noor, general secretary of the Bangladesh CNG Filling Station and Conversion Workshop Owners Association.
At present, there are around 600 CNG refueling stations in the country while the number of registered CNG-run vehicles across the country stand at more than 3.50 lakh.
On Tuesday, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid asked the ministry officials and subordinate bodies to remain alert to ensure an uninterrupted power and gas supply during the government-declared countrywide holiday.
The government, on Monday, declared general holidays from March 26 to April 4, in order to prevent the transmission of the deadly coronavirus.
However, kitchen markets, food shops, pharmacies, hospitals and all emergency services will remain out of the purview of the general holidays.
Additionally, members of the army have moved into divisional and district towns across the country, from Tuesday, in aid of the civil administration – to enforce social distancing and strengthen coronavirus prevention measures.
