Transport owners threaten 72hr strike from Aug 12 if demands not met

The Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association has warned of a 72-hour transport strike across the country from August 12 if their eight-point demands are not met.

This was announced at a representative meeting of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners-Workers Coordination Council at the Jashore District Workers Union on Friday.

Earlier, Kofil Uddin Ahmed, central president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners' Association, announced the eight-point demands, including extending the economic lifespan of commercial vehicles from 20 and 25 years to 30 years, at a meeting yesterday.

Today, Saiful Alam, its secretary general, said they will go on a strike if the eight-point demands, including the amendment to the law on drivers not getting bail in accident cases, are not met.

"We have conveyed these eight-point demands to the road transport and bridges adviser," said Saiful.

"If our demands are not accepted, a transport strike will be observed across the country from 6:00am on August 12 to 6:00am on August 15," he added.

The eight-point demands are:

- Sections 98 and 105 of the Road Transport Act, 2018 have to be amended;

- Economic life of old commercial vehicles has to be extended from 20 and 25 years to 30 years and campaign against old vehicles has to be suspended until it is fulfilled;

- Double advance income tax (AIT) imposed on commercial vehicles in the new budget has to be reduced;

- Period for importing commercial reconditioned vehicles has to be increased from 5 to 12 years as an aid to removing expired vehicles from the road;

- Accident-affected vehicles have to be handed over to the owners within 72 hours;

- Scrap policy for expired vehicles has to be formulated;

- Separate lanes have to be created for three-wheelers and unlicensed light vehicles on the highway;

- Driving licences need to be renewed faster, and 12 points of the workers' federation need to be implemented.