Indefinite transport strike paralyses C'nawabganj
Transport owners in Chittagong yesterday called a strike on two roads on Sunday while an indefinite transport strike began in Chapainawabganj yesterday disrupting road link of the district with rest of the country.
Five transport associations yesterday called a strike on Chittagong-Rangamati and Chittagong-Khagrachhari roads to realise their 3-point Demand, reports UNB.
Chittagong-Khagrachhari Bus-Minibus Owners' Association, Chittagong-Rangamati Motor Owners' Association, Chittagong Bus-Minibus Workers' Union, Chittagong District Bus Workers' Union and Nazirhat Transport Workers' Union at a joint press conference at Chittagong Press Club announced the decision to enforce the strike.
The demands include construction of a permanent bus terminal at a convenient place of the city for vehicles of north Chittagong and hill districts, stopping plying of vehicles without road permit in the port city and widening the road from Oxygen crossing to Hathazari.
Manzurul Alam Manju, president of Chittagong-Khagrachhari Bus-Minibus Owners' Association, in his written statement, threatened 'tougher movement' if their demands were not met.
Our Correspondent from Chapainawabganj reports: The district bus, truck owners' association and workers' union enforced an indefinite strike yesterday to press their 7-point demand, disrupting road communications between Chapainawabganj and rest of the country.
The strike also hampered trade at Sonamasjid land port.
The demands of the two bodies include stoppage of double-decker Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) bus service on Rajshahi route, BRTC bus service on other inter-district routes and ban on shallow-engine driven human hauler like Nasimon, Karimon and Bhutbhuti.
Bus services to and from Chapainawabganj came to a halt and ticket counters remained closed yesterday, causing immense suffering to the passengers. Trucks, mishuk, tempo and tank lorries were also off the streets.
During the strike hours, BRTC buses from its counter at Octroy intersection in the town managed to ply from morning to afternoon, escorted by police personnel.
Earlier, Chapainawabganj bus owners' association, truck owners' body, motor sramik union, mini bus owners' association and tempo-mishuk owners' association jointly called the indefinite strike in the district to realise their demands.
Activities at Sonamasjid land port was seriously hampered since morning yesterday due to the strike. Hundreds of loaded trucks got stranded in the port areas. Passengers from both countries, especially India-bound patients from different parts of the country, suffered due to the strike, port sources said.
Businessmen feared that perishable items including fruits might be damaged because of indefinite strike.
Aminul Islam Sentu, president of Chapainawabganj bus owners' association told newsmen they will enforce indefinite strike in 16 northern districts if their demands were not met within 72 hours.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Sultan Abdul Hamid said, we agreed to look into their demands during a meeting on Tuesday but they enforced the strike yesterday, ignoring people's suffering and harassment.
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