Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has taken an initiative to set up 6 world class model filling stations or petrol pumps in different parts of the country with financial support by private entrepreneurs.
Three state-owned companies-- Padma Oil Company Limited, Meghna Petroleum Limited and Jamuna Oil Company Limited—are supervising the task, official said.
According to BPC the model pump, spread over an area of 2.15 acres of land, will have a mini park, playground for children, improved toilet, dormitories, restaurant, mother breast feeding center, dress changing room, parking space with all others passengers facilities. People will go for filling fuel like petrol, octane, diesel and CNG there.
The energy division has been instructed to launch at least three of the six petrol pumps during the ‘Mujib Barsho’ to mark Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s birth century.
The matter was discussed in a monthly coordination meeting of the energy division. However, Md. Masudur Rahman, Managing Director of Padma Oil Company Limited, said they have issued a letter of intent (LOI) to build a model pump and its land development work is going on. It is so difficult to complete the total work by next June during the ‘Mujib Barsho’.
In this regard, additional secretary (operation) of energy division said, the construction of model pump is related to the ‘Mujib Barsho’ and it also included with APA (Annual Performance Agreement).
Md. Anisur Rahman, Senior Secretary of Energy Division has directed the three state-owned marketing companies to complete the work within the stipulated time.
When contact Mir Saifullah-Al-Khaled, Managing Director of Meghna Petroleum Limited, said ‘It is needed at least taka 10 crore to build the pump in according to design. So it is not possible to implement within such short time. However we expect that the commercial operation of a pump will start by the end of 2021. The government may extend one more year for the celebration of the Mujib Barsho. If it is extended then we can complete the model pump during this time.’
Md. Abu Saleh Iqbal, General Manager (Operations & Planning) of Padma Oil Company Limited told Bangladesh Post “we are working to set up two model pump within stipulated time. Out of the two pump, one is Tangail district of Dhaka-Tangail highway road and other is Sylhet of Dhaka-Sylhet highway road. Insa Allah, it will be visible during the ‘Mujib Barsho’. We are monitoring continuously.”
Md. Ayub Hossain, General Manager (Marketing) of Jamuna Oil Company Limited, told The Bangladesh Post that ‘We were requested by our dealers or distributors to set up such model pump. Some of them agreed. However, we have selected companies according to the government instruction. They are now working with their own fund and we are monitoring their work. Out of the two pumps, one will be at Sitakundu of Chattagram and other at Sherpur of Bogora district. They assured us that they will complete the work within ‘Mujib Barsho’.