BNP’s Khulna rally: Owners take buses off the streets

Bus owners are suspending bus services in Khulna for two days from today ahead of the BNP's protest rally in the city tomorrow.

Transport owners' association leaders told The Daily Star that local Awami League leaders put pressure on them to keep buses off the roads to prevent BNP men from taking part in the rally.

The ruling party leaders, however, denied involvement.

Authorities of several hotels in Khulna city alleged that they were being pressurised by AL leaders not to allow in any new guests ahead of the rally. Police were also asking them not to receive any guests from outside Khulna.

Speaking to this newspaper wishing not to be named, a top leader of Khulna District Bus, Minibus, Coach and Microbus Owners' Association said, "The association did not take the decision on its own. Local Awami League leaders forced us to make the decision."

Khulna Motor Sramik Union just followed the bus owners' decision.

"As the bus owners decided not to operate buses for two days, we have no other option but to follow the decision," said Zakir Hossain Biplob, general secretary of the labour union.

The two organisations on Tuesday night jointly decided that no buses would operate on 18 routes from Sonadanga Bus Terminal in the city for those two days if the locally-made three-wheelers were not taken off roads by October 20.

The BNP will organise the rally at Khulna city's Sonali Bank intersection tomorrow protesting price hike of essentials and fuel, recent killings of five party men in police firing in Bhola, Narayanganj, Munshiganj and Jashore, and also demanding "release" of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Md Mizanur Rahman, president of Khulna District Bus, Minibus, Coach, Microbus Owners Association and also a former AL MP from Khulna-2, yesterday said the decision to enforce the bus strike was made without consulting him as he was away.

Asked whether they put pressure on bus owners to enforce the strike, he told The Daily Star that their programme had nothing to do with the BNP's rally.

'PRESSURE ON HOTELIERS'

Authorities of several hotels in Khulna city yesterday alleged that they were verbally instructed by local AL leaders not to take in any new guests from outside Khulna.

"We are not receiving any new guest as renovation work is underway at the hotel," said a receptionist at Hotel Royal.

However, this correspondent found that a small renovation work was going on and the hotel didn't suspend its operations.

Masudur Rahman Bhuiyan, police commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police, said they did not issue any directives to the hotel owners regarding receiving new guests.

He said they check names and addresses of hotel guests as part of their routine work to make sure that no criminal hides there.

Amid such a situation, local BNP leaders have asked the party leaders and activists from the 10 districts in Khulna division to reach the divisional city by today and stay in homes of their relatives.

"As bus services will remain suspended, we have asked the party men to travel to Khulna by trucks, pickups, microbuses and cars," said Mizanur Rahman, member of the convening committee of Khulna Metropolitan BNP.

He said the party men have also been advised to use river routes to join the rally. They have also been asked to travel to the venue in groups to avoid any possible harassment by police.

Shamsuzzaman Dudu, coordinator of the rally and also a vice chairman of the BNP, said they would hold the rally on time no matter what the situation might be.

Speaking at a press conference at the BNP office in the city, he alleged that police were raiding the houses of the party leaders and activists.

Responding to a query, the BNP leader said the party men were instructed not to carry any sticks.

Many senior BNP leaders, who were relieved from party posts earlier, have started working for the rally.

Speaking at a press conference at Khulna Press Club yesterday, former Khulna City BNP president Nazrul Islam Manju, who was relieved from the post, said, "The party has called for making the rally a success and we all are working ignoring all differences and divisions."

RECRUITMENT TEST

A recruitment test of the Department of Social Services is scheduled for today. Many candidates are uncertain about making it to the exam because of the bus strike.

About 13,376 candidates from Khulna are seeking the post of Grade III social worker.

Khan Motahar Hossain, deputy director of Khulna District Social Service Office, said the announcement for the recruitment test was made much earlier.

"Nothing can be done at this stage if bus services remain suspended in Khulna. I would advise the candidates to come to the city at least a day before the exam," he said.