Tank-Lorry Shramik Union, an organisation of the tank and lorry workers, went on a strike in Sylhet from Monday to protest at the arrest of three leaders of the union.
Sources of the petrol pump owners said petroleum oil collection from the depots of the Padma, Jamuna and Meghna oil companies, three marketing agencies of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, remained suspended on Monday due to the strike.
They expressed their fear that there would be fuel crisis in the district if the strike still continues on Tuesday.
Sylhet depot manager of Jamuna oil, Anwar Hossain admitted that no trader collected fuel from the depot on Monday due to the strike called by the workers.
Rapid Action Battalion had arrested three leaders of Tank-Lorry Shramik Union on Saturday night from Pirojpur at Dakkhin Surma in the city on charge of possessing 90 grams of heroin, sources in the RAB-9 said.
The arrested were identified as the District Tank-Lorry Union leader Azizul Islam, Younus Miah and Liakat Uddin Ripon and a case was also filed with the Dakkhin Surma police in this connection.
But the union members went on strike from Monday to protest at the arrest. They alleged that their three leaders were arrested intentionally and the allegation of recovering heroin from their possession was fabricated.
The union activists claimed they would continue with the strike until the arrested union leaders were not released.
When contacted, Sylhet Division Tank-Lorry Owners’ Association president Abdullah Al Mamun alleged that the three workers leaders had been arrested from a meeting of the union. He said on Monday evening that they were trying to resolve the matter.