Transport strike causes immense suffering

The wildcat strike called by the transports owners and workers have resulted in massive suffering to the common people on Friday. Responding to the strike call public transports were off the roads. And what is worse is the fact that the strike will continue at least until Sunday, according to a report published by this newspaper on Saturday. Though government offices are closed on Saturday, many people employed in the private sector still have work. As the intransigent attitude of the leaders in the transport sector they are least bothered by the sufferings of the commuters, jobseekers, and students.

People were forced to travel by travel by rickshaws, CNG-run autorickshaws, motorcycles, and other modes of transports paying two to five times the usual amount. This strike is yet another example of how the common people can be held hostage by transport sector leaders and workers. Among the worst affected were candidates seeking admission to seven colleges under the University of Dhaka. There were two dozen government recruitment tests as well on Friday. People in other divisional cities, including Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Sylhet, and Mymensingh, also suffered for the lack of public transports. No inter-district bus operated on the highways. So those needing to travel inter district had to hire microbuses at exorbitant fares. Launch owners have threatened to join the strike. And this will naturally result in more suffering to the common people. Taking advantage of the situation CNG autorickshaws have also hiked their fares.

The strike did not affect the travellers only. The kitchen markets of the city saw prices of fish and vegetables shooting up as the vehicles that bring them supplies each day did not operate. While the demand remained the same, supply was low. According to media reports the delivery of of imported goods from the Chattogram Port was hampered badly due to the transport strike. Trucks and covered vans that arrived to take deliveries could not enter the port due to obstacles from workers observing the strike, and it hampered delivery activity. Observers fear that if the strike continued, it would create a container backlog and traders would face financial losses.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has urged the transport owners and workers to withdraw their strike considering the people's sufferings. But observing the latter’s attitude they are hardly in any mood to listen. The strike was announced in the immediate aftermath of the recent hike in fuel prices. However, as observers have pointed out the strike is basically about raising their fare, not necessarily about reversing the fuel price hike. According to media reports a meeting will be held at the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) office today over the re-fixing of transport fares. If previous experiences are anything to go by there will be a hike in transport fares. The authorities almost have accepted their, at times seemingly, unjust demands. It is people who will be the loser.

This latest strike is yet another example of how far the vested quarters in the transport sector have been allowed to extend their reach, mainly because of the backing from political quarters they have received for years on end. That has emboldened them make demands that go against the public interest without any qualms. The system that controls the transport sector has been made dysfunctional by vested quarters over the years. There is no dearth of laws in the country governing the road transport sector. What is missing is the failure or reluctance to implement the laws. The transport sector workers calling strikes and holding the common people hostage at regular intervals must stop. The people’s plight must always be taken into account. Just because a sector is in a position of power, they should not abuse it.

We want good sense to prevail and see the strike called off. On the other hand, if there are indeed logical demands they should also be taken into account. Those who have called the strike have mentioned that transport services had remained suspended for a long time due to Covid-19 pandemic in the past two years. The decision to raise fuel prices came at a time when the transport owners are trying to make a turnaround. Be that as it may the means adopted by them to realise their demands leaves a lot to desired. Inflicting suffering on people on one pretext or the other cannot continue.