Freight vehicle owners call off strike

Freight vehicle owners and workers yesterday withdrew their indefinite strike in 21 south-western districts following the government's assurance to consider their 12-point demand including a stop to harassment by law enforcers.

The decision came at around 4:30pm following their four-hour meeting with ministers and senior officials at the home ministry.

“We withdrew the strike as the government assured us of necessary measures to fulfill our demands shortly,” said Abdul Gaffar Biswas, convener of south-western regional freight vehicle owners and workers association. “The goods vehicles already started operating,” he told The Daily Star over phone around 5:00pm.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, State Minister for LGRD Mashiur Rahman Ranga, senior officials concerned, transport owners and workers, among others, attended the meeting.

Talking to The Daily Star, a home ministry official said, “From the government's side, assurance was given to fulfill some of their demands, while discussion will be going on over some others.”

The strike started at 6:00am on Monday over demands that include a stop to extortion on highways and ferry ghats, withdrawal of the government decision to remove extra bumpers, side angles, and hooks of trucks and covered vans and revision of the vehicle registration fees.

The strike, covering all the districts of Khulna and Barisal divisions and greater Faridpur caused sufferings to traders.

“We buy vegetables from the nearby upazilas and send them to Dhaka for sale. In the last two days a huge quantity of tomatoes perished because I could not send them to the capital,” said Gazi Hasan, a businessman in Khulna.