Home ›› 08 Nov 2021 ›› Nation
The businesses of Rangpur have incurred a loss of around Tk 100 crore in the last three days during the transport strike, said Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mostafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu.
Transportation of goods, agriculture products, raw materials, and daily commute across the district had been hit hard due to the nationwide strike called by the transport owners protesting against the fuel price hike.
Passengers expecting to travel elsewhere became the worst sufferers who had to count much in some cases while riding on car, micro-bus, three-wheelers and auto-rickshaws to reach their destinations.
Inter-district, long-distance buses and goods-carrying vehicles stopped plying across the vicinities and remained stranded at the bus terminal and truck stands in the district.
Spot visit to Kamarpara-Dhaka bus stand, bus terminal and truck stands in the city found that all modes of vehicles remained idle. Counter managers and transport workers were passing an idle time. Tota Miah, a counter manager of Ena Paribhan, said due to the fuel price hike the company would face a huge loss if it does not increase the bus fare.
Kashem Miah, a transport worker said, they are daily wage earners. They earn if the vehicles run.
They were the worst victims of the Covid-19 pandemic as vehicles remained halted during the lockdown days. They along with their family led a sub-human life due to financial scarcity in those days. The indefinite transport strike made them receive another hit.
Many passengers were seen to hire cars and mini-buses jointly and collectively spending much on fare to reach their destinations.
Golam Parvej, a Dhaka-bound passenger at the terminal, said he served a private company in the capital. He had to reach Dhaka this evening.
He hired a micro-bus along with some other people spending Tk 20,000 to reach their destination. The fair of the micro-bus is much higher compared to that in the normal time.
A huge passenger rush was seen in Rangpur railway station. The number of trains is not adequate according to the rush of people.
Abdur Rahaman, an aggrieved Dhaka-bound passenger at Rangpur railway station, said he along with his family members were supposed to go to Dhaka on Friday morning by bus as his daughter would appear at university admission test. But they failed to go. He still did not manage train tickets to travel to Dhaka. Farmers in the district also expressed their grave concern over the fuel price hike. The diesel-run pumps will be required to irrigate land for crop cultivation.
Afzal Hossain, a farmer at Boirati bazar under Mithapukur upazila of the district, said farmers did not get a fair price for their produce.
It is time to plant potatoes and maize in the field. They need huge water supply to prepare their land for crop plantation.
