Buses, launches to Dhaka stopped
Buses, launches to Dhaka stopped
Owners fear chaos over AL, BNP rallies
Major road and waterway communication routes to Dhaka were cut off today without any prior notice ahead of January 5 elections anniversary in the capital.
With Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) ban on rallies inside the capital, bus and launch owners of Rajshahi, Rangpur, Natore, Barisal and Munshiganj closed down operations “fearing chaos over head-to-head rallies of ruling Awami League and the BNP.”
In Rajshahi, buses to Dhaka were stopped since 8:00am this morning.
“Buses have been stopped fearing violence on the streets,” Kamal Hossain Chowdhury, general secretary of local Motor Sramik Union, told our Rajshahi correspondent.
In Natore, buses to Dhaka were stopped abruptly from 10:00am. Passengers were seen stranded waiting to board a bus at Kanaikhali and Harishpur bus stops.
Yahia Chowdhury, general secretary of Bus Minibus Owners Association, told our Natore correspondent that authorities decided to stop buses suspecting violence in the capital tomorrow.
In Rangpur, Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation took the decision to stop service of long distance buses, an official seeking anonymity told our correspondent.
Meanwhile, passengers are suffering a lot as they could not travel following the bus owners’ decision to suspend long-route vehicle movement to Dhaka from Munshiganj.
In Barisal, riverine communication to Dhaka was halted sine fearing violence in the capital, Jakir Hossain, supervisor of Sundarbans Navigation Company, told our correspondent.
The suspension order will be effective from this evening in the district, he said.
In Pirojpur, our district correspondent reports that the authorities already suspended the launch service on Pirojpur-Dhaka river route from this afternoon.
“No bus departed for Dhaka after 11:00am from the terminal,” Palash, a staff of Dola Paribahan counter at Pirojpur bus terminal said adding that services will resume after instructions.