The Speedboat Owners Association on Wednesday suspended the operation of speedboats on the Bhola-Barishal route for three days (till November 5), ahead of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) divisional rally slated for November 5.
The suspension of speedboat movement is causing suffering to commuters.
Manjurul Alam, a speedboat owner of the Bhola district, said that they have enforced a three-day strike but did not say the reason for the strike.
A number of passengers were seen waiting at Bheduria ghat in Bhola for speedboats.
Tatek Shah, in charge of Barishal speedboat ghat, said speedboat movement was suspended from Bhola, not from Barishal.
Earlier, three-wheeler drivers in Barishal called a strike on November 4 and 5 demanding the authorities concerned allow three-wheelers to operate on the highway.
The strike has coincided with the upcoming rally of the BNP while bus owners in the district have announced a similar strike on the same dates.
The rally in Barishal will be the fifth one by the BNP at the divisional level as four others were held in Chattogram, Mymensingh, Khulna, and Rangpur.
