Bringing the country to a standstill

Thousands of commuters suffered as transport workers started a 48-hour countrywide work abstention from early yesterday.

They are demonstrating to press home their eight-point demand, mainly related to bringing amendments to the recently passed Road Transport Act-2018.

Except for government-run BRTC buses and some CNG-run auto-rickshaws, no other public transport plied the streets throughout the day, report our correspondents from different cities.

CHATTOGRAM

Due to the strike, port city commuters had to remain stranded on roads for hours. Many were seen moving on foot to go to their destinations.

Presence of private vehicles was also nominal. Most major roads wore a deserted look throughout the day.

In the morning, some human hauliers and three-wheelers started plying the roads, but transport workers “forcibly” stopped those and took keys from drivers, said witnesses.

Those travelling short distances were lucky to find some auto-rickshaws and rickshaws, but most commuters had to go back home.

This correspondent saw 75-year-old Nasima Begum and his son Rashed looking for a vehicle at Rahattar Pool around 9:00am. She said she came from Patiya upazila for an eye surgery. They managed to find an auto-rickshaw, which agreed to take them to the city at a high fare.

“At Rahattar Pool, some agitators intercepted the vehicle and took the key from the driver,” she said.

Tapati Bhattacharjee, a teacher from Raozan upazila, had to return home from Muradpur intersection. “Whenever transport workers go on a strike, people suffer. The government should take strict steps against these illegal activities.”

Some commuters had to travel on a pick-up van in Sholashahar Gate 2 area. Shahed Ahmed was one of them. He said they had to almost beg the driver to hitch a ride.

However, Oli Ahmed, general secretary of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Shramik Federation, Chattogram, said, “We are abstaining from work, not enforcing a strike. We are not forcing anyone to not drive vehicles.”

“We have kept CNG auto-rickshaws out of purview of our demonstration because of the Chittagong University admission tests,” he added.

RAJSHAHI

Hundreds suffered as transport workers staged violent demonstrations on the streets in Rajshahi city yesterday.

Transport workers stopped movement of some buses that went to Rajshahi the previous night, and were returning to their respective districts in the morning.

A group of transport workers began barricading Rajshahi-Dhaka highway at Seroil bus terminal few hours after a bus driver was beaten up at Nawdapara.

The demonstrating workers ransacked a bus and a truck in Seroil area that were carrying passengers, defying the strike.

The demonstrators stopped several private cars, micro-buses and manhandled the drivers, but police later took control, dispersing the protesters.

Several hundreds of people thronged Rajshahi Railway Station to catch a train and most of them had to return, or travel without ticket.

At noon, the railway authorities deployed extra contingent of policemen to control the mob at the station.

Nepal Chandra Das had come to Rajshahi from Nimatpur of Naogaon, on his way to Dhaka.

“I booked two tickets to Dhaka; these have become useless because of the strike. Now tickets are not available at railway counters,” he said.

Mojibur Rahman was scheduled to join a family function at Thakurgaon. Finding no bus, he went to the railway station at noon.

“The Chilahati-bound train left Rajshahi in the morning. I have no way to join my family now,” he said.

SYLHET

No buses, trucks or other transports were seen on roads and highways in and outside Sylhet city.

Transport workers also stopped private vehicles and motorcycles from plying.

Wielding bamboo sticks, the workers gathered in Kadamtali Bus Terminal area, Humayun Rashid Chattar and Kumargaon Bus Terminal.

One Abul Hossain came to the city from Balaganj upazila for his father's treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital.

He said, “I hired a CNG-run auto-rickshaw but the transport workers forced us to get down in Chandipul area. So, I had to take a rickshaw to go to the hospital, paying a high fare.”

Moreover, it had been raining since 2:00am, adding to public sufferings amid the transport strike.

Titu Das, a college teacher in Beanibazar upazila, said he goes to the institution by bus. “Most teachers could not attend due to the strike. So, classes had to be suspended.”

On the other hand, a huge crowd was seen at Sylhet Railway Station as many chose trains to reach their destinations.

Selim Ahmed Folik, president of Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation, Sylhet division chapter, said, “We enforced a peaceful strike. We will continue it until our demand is met. People's suffering is not our concern.”

CUMILLA

The countrywide strike brought misery for commuters in Cumilla, as the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, regional highways and connecting regional roads were restricted to buses, trucks, covered vans, trailer vans, CNG and battery-run auto-rickshaws, and even private vehicles like cars and micro-buses.

On the first day of the week, service holders, school and college-goers and other commuters including women, children and senior citizens were stuck on the roads. 

“I had to change vehicles a few times at 

small distance intervals while coming to Cumilla from Chandina. It cost me Tk 200, whereas the normal bus fare is Tk 30,” said Monirul Islam, 55, a bank employee.

No buses set off from three inter-district bus stations in Cumilla, on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway, Cumilla-Sylhet highway, and Cumilla-Chandpur and Cumilla-Noakhali regional highways since morning.

Transport workers along with some other seemingly-enthusiastic people occupied the roads. This correspondent saw some of them harassing commuters and pedestrians, while in some places highway police were seen just standing by. No additional enforcement of police was found at any important points on the highways.

The agitating transport workers could not show any valid ID when the newspaper asked which organisation they were representing.

Kazi Motaher Hossain, general secretary of district transport workers' union, said, “The transport workers are abstaining from work to press home their eight-point demand including corrections of the road transport act. If the government doesn't accept our demands within 48 hours, we will go on strike for an indefinite period until our demands are met.”

MYMENSINGH

Like elsewhere, commuters in Mymensingh had to suffer due to the ongoing strike.

Hawa Begum managed to arrive at the Mymensingh court for some urgent work as she left home early in the morning yesterday.

After getting her work done, she tried in vain for about an hour -- with her six-month-old baby in her arms -- to find a transport to return home in Shaheed Kachari area of Mymensingh Sadar upazila.

She was just one of many others who remained stranded on the road due to shortage of transport.

Jahangir Alam Khan from Phulpur upazila was waiting near Shambhuganj bridge. He said he had to come to Mymensingh city for an urgent medical test at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. But without any vehicle on the road, he wondered how he would go back home.

“I had to spend around Tk 350 to reach the hospital, which usually costs Tk 50. I had to travel on a rickshaw-van, an auto-rickshaw and a motorbike,” he said.

The train station also witnessed a huge rush of passengers.

Meanwhile, a number of commuters and auto-rickshaw drivers told this correspondent that many transport workers were stopping and harassing vehicles at different points.

Ali Hossain, publicity secretary of Mymensingh District Transport Workers Union, said transport workers were only picketing at different points to press home their demands. He, however, claimed that the workers were not obstructing movements of rickshaws, rickshaw-vans and battery-run auto-rickshaws.