Bus service on Pirojpur-Barishal route suspended for 2 weeks
Direct bus service on Barishal-Pirojpur route remained suspended for nearly two weeks following an indefinite bus trike enforced by transport owners and workers of Jhalakathi, protesting alleged attacks on their fellows in Barishal on June 15.
Due to the sudden strike, passengers are compelled to reach their destinations changing vehicles several times.
According to sources at Pirojpur Bus Owners’ Association, bus services on Pirojpur-Barishal route were suspended after one of the workers of Jhalakathi Transport Owners and Workers Association was assaulted at Barishal Bus Terminal on June 15, following altercation with fellow workers over demanding extra terminal fees.
They later beat up the transport workers from Pirojpur and Jhalakathi when the latter refused to pay the ‘extra fees.’
As a result, passengers from different upazilas of Pirojpur are facing immense sufferings to go to Barishal and other destinations.
“Due to suspension of direct bus services passengers are forced to change their vehicles four to five times to go to Barishal,” said Ruhul Amin, who was waiting at Kumirmara Ferry Terminal with his family to go Barishal.
“Although the strike has been enforced nearly two weeks ago, no step has been taken to resolve it,” another passenger Reazul Islam said.
Now passengers have to cross the mighty Kacha river by boats, risking their lives and paying extra money, he said.
“Usually we conduct about 30 trips of ferry carrying vehicles including Barishal and Khulna bound buses daily,” Manager of Kumirmara-Bekutia ferry route Mahbub Hossain said, adding that but due to the strike they cannot even conduct five trips a per day.
When asked about the matter, General Secretary of Pirojpur Bus-Mini Bus Owners’ Association Nurul Haque Khokon said they were trying to resolve the issue.
He said due to the suspension of bus services hundreds of transport workers have now become unemployed.
Comments