Transport strike called off
Transport owners and workers this evening withdrew their transport strike in Rajshahi division and eight districts of Dhaka division following the government's assurance to fulfill their demands.
Momtaz Uddin, president of Mymensingh transport owners association, announced withdrawal of the strike after a fruitful meeting with Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG) and Dhaka divisional commissioner.
"The authorities have assured us of meeting our seven-point demand, thus we have called of the strike,” the association leader said.
However, Monjur Rahman Peter, divisional coordinator of Bangladesh Transport Owners and Labours Oikya Parishad, this evening announced to postpone the strike till June 7 in Rajshahi division.
"We sat with Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan and Communications Minister Obaidul Quader to discuss our demands and they assured us to fulfill the demands soon," he told journalists.
Bangladesh Road Transport Samity (Dhaka division) yesterday called the strike in Mymensingh, Netrakona, Jamalpur, Sherpur, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Gazipur and Dhaka protesting a recent attack on their leaders and workers in Netrakona by Ansar members.
Meanwhile, transport owners and workers in Rajshahi division enforced the strike on Sunday demanding a ban on plying of unauthorised vehicles like Nosimon, Korimon and bhotbhoti on roads and highways, stopping toll collection by the police and harassment by BRTA in the name of issuing fitness certificates, and suspension of double-decker bus services in upazilas.
The sufferings of commuters mounted due to the transport strike in 16 northern and north-eastern districts of the country.
Long-route buses, trucks and tankers stayed off the roads and highways during the strike.
Having no other alternatives, helpless commuters found the rail service as the sole alternative.
Despite numerous complaints against the rail service, the railway stations were seen flooded with thousands of desperate passengers.
Not only the long-route travellers, but also thousands of domestic passengers of different districts had to wait hours to find any mean of transportations.
A team of Ansars led by a magistrate swooped on transport workers on May 24 when they gathered at Netrakona Sramik Union office to protest an earlier assault on one of their drivers by auto-rickshaw drivers in Netrakona, alleged transport leaders.
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