Pickets reign the roads
Sufferings of commuters mounted on the second day of transport workers' countrywide strike yesterday.
They went on a 48-hour strike on Sunday morning to press for their eight-point demand mainly related to bringing amendments to the recently passed Road Transport Act-2018.
Commuters of Dinajpur, Rangpur and Joypurhat suffered a lot as picketing by transport workers continued in presence of their leaders on roads and highways.
“They have paralysed public life to press for their irrational demand. They are also creating obstacle when people travel on their own arrangements,” said Rafiqul Islam of Baluadanga area of Dinajpur.
Picketers took position at College More, Baluadanga, Dinajpur bus stand and Phulbari bus stand in Dinajpur town, Dhap, Rangpur Bus Terminal area and Modern More and Bus terminal area in Joypurhat districts.
They were seen forcing the passengers of three-wheelers to get down.
Large quantities of goods including perishable ones like onion, which are imported through Hili land port, could not be sent to different places due to the transport strike, said Harun Ur Rashid, president of Importer and Exporter Groups of Hili land port.
In Jhenidah, transport workers prevented the drivers of small vehicles like CNG-run auto-rickshaws, easy-bikes and human hauliers from running and forced passengers to get down.
Several commuters alleged that the administration is not taking action to stop harassment of commuters.
The transport strike mounted sufferings of people in different areas of Patuakhali.
Many people, especially those visiting Kuakata tourist spot, got stranded.
In Natore, many people requiring travel to different places for various purposes had to hire three-wheelers to go to their destination by paying almost double the usual fair.
“We cannot run our leguna on the highway as the transport workers beat our staff, vandalised the vehicles and snatched away keys,” said Khorshed Alam, president of 'leguna association' in Natore.
Transport workers in Kurigram forced suspension of movement of three-wheelers on Kurigram-Chilmari and Kurigram-Bhurungamari routes yesterday, adding to sufferings of passengers.
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