Freight transport strike begins in Sylhet

Goods transport owners in Sylhet have called 48-hour strike from today morning, demanding withdrawal of ban on stone extraction and reopening of stone quarries in the district’s Jaflong, Bichanakandi and Bholaganj.

According to the transport workers and owners, a total of 15 lakh people are directly involved in the stone business in Sylhet.

Transport workers said stones from the quarries had long been transported across the country since the country’s independence but a government ban for the last five years has an adverse impact on the freight transport owners

Golam Hadi, Convener of Truck, Pickup and Covered Van Owners’ Association of Sylhet, said that most of the transport owners have bought their vehicles with loans from the banks and some private companies and a lack of business has made it hard for them to repay their loans.

“We’ve requested the district administration time and again to reopen the stone quarries. We’ve also submitted memorandums to the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner in this regard but to no avail. That’s why we’re forced to announce the strike,” said Hadi.

Hadi added that initially the strike will be observed in Sylhet district only. “If our demands are not met within the stipulated time, the strike will be expanded to the entire Sylhet division,” he added.