Rajshahi BNP rally: Commuters suffer due to transport strike

Commuters are struggling to find ways to get to their destinations following the transport strike that began in eight districts under Rajshahi division this morning.

Even though the strike was scheduled to begin at 6:00am today, the majority of the buses were seen parked at the stations since last night, reports our Rajshahi staff correspondent.

In this situation, many people were seen flocking to the railway station to reach their destinations.

Since this morning, no long-distance or inter-district buses have entered or left Rajshahi.

Safkat Manjur Biplob, president of the Rajshahi Divisional Transport Owners Association, said around 1,000 buses operate daily on various routes, including on Rajshahi-Dhaka route.

"Due to the strike, all modes of bus transportation are currently suspended, and will remain so until our demands are met," he added.

Anisur Rahman said that he wanted to go from Chapainawabganj's Sona Mosque to Bogura's Shibganj upazila. "But due to the bus strike, the local human haulier nasimon is the only way to get there now."

"My wife is ill. I am worried about her health condition now that she will have to ride the nasimon," Anisur added.

Md Solaiman, a policeman from Satkhira, who was in Rajshahi on an official visit, said he could not return home because of the bus strike.

BNP's divisional rally is scheduled to be held in Rajshahi on December 3 and party leaders claimed that the transport strike was called to bar people from joining the rally.

Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, organising secretary of BNP's Rajshahi unit, said, "The transport strike has been called so that BNP leaders and activists can't join the rally. But it will not be able to stop them. This rally will be successful at any cost."

Hundreds of people have already started for Rajshahi city to attend the rally.

Asked, transport leader Safkat Manjur said "There is no connection between the strike and the BNP rally. It's just a coincidence."