Truck strike ‘postponed’

Owners and workers of goods-carrying vehicles yesterday "postponed" their countrywide 48-hour strike, supposed to start from today, for 15 days.

Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners and Workers' Coordination Council took the decision following a meeting with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at his secretariat office yesterday.

"We have postponed our strike for 15 days as the home minister has assured us of meeting our demands," Tajul Islam, member secretary of the platform, told The Daily Star last night.

He said the minister assured them about giving compensation and punishing the BIWTA official, who led the drive against them without notice, following investigation. "Besides, assurances have been given to meet our other demands. So, we have postponed our strike for 15 days," he added.

State Minister for Shipping Khaled Mahmud Chowdhury, Road Transport and Highway Division Secretary Nazrul Islam, transport leaders Shajahan Khan, Osman Ali, Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Khondaker Enayet Ullah, Rustam Ali Khan, among others, took part in the meeting, Tajul said.

The platform, in a letter sent to different ministries and agencies on September 20, said that they would go for the 48-hour strike on October 12-13 to press home their nine-point demand.

They alleged that Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) on August 26 "vandalised" 17 trucks and drum trucks in Gabtoli Beribadh area and auctioned four trucks with goods without any notice.

Their other demands include compensations to the affected truck owners by BIWTA, punishment of BIWTA officials involved in the drive, installation of truck terminals and resting places for truck drivers at different spots and incorporation of the recommendations of transport owners and workers' associations in the Road Transport Act 2018.