Fuel price hike: Countrywide transport strike from tomorrow
Public and goods transport owners called an indefinite nationwide strike from tomorrow -- protesting the latest hike in fuel prices.
Rustam Ali Khan, executive president of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, confirmed the development to The Daily Star today.
Transport owners incurred huge losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government has increased the toll for two bridges and now they hiked fuel price without any discussion with the transport owners, Rustam said.
"We will continue the strike until the government changes its decision," he said.
Moshiur Rahman Ranga, president of the organisation, said although they did not call the strike from the centre, their branches in districts decided not to operate transport from tomorrow -- protesting the fuel price hike.
Our Rajshahi staff correspondent reports, transport owners and workers in Rajshahi have decided to suspend public transport services from 6:00am tomorrow -- due to the hike in fuel price.
They demanded that bus fare for various routes be adjusted according to fuel price hike.
Confirming the development, Motiul Haque, general secretary of Rajshahi Bus Owners' Association, said that they are not forcing anyone to suspend services, the bus owners and workers took the decision.
"Why would we ply vehicles when we have to count losses?" he asked.
He also said that a bus owner earns around Tk 8,000 by operating a bus on a 45km route for 10 days. They would not be able to make profit if they had to continue to operate buses at current fares while also paying higher fuel prices.
Many bus companies have already suspended operations; others will start tomorrow, he added.
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