Transport workers of the Rangpur-Dhaka route bus service went on a general strike on Tuesday morning to press home their five-point demand.
During a visit to Dhaka’s Kamarpara bus stand around noon, The Business Post found that the drivers and workers at the bus stop had been sitting around idly. Passengers were seen returning home even after confirming tickets for different companies of buses.
Workers named Sohel Rana, Liton and Rafiq Miah were found standing before Shyamoli Paribahan's counter at Kamarpara. They told The Business Post that they have been pressing to meet the demands for several days, but the authorities did not pay heed to them. As a result, they went on strike.
Their demands include- increasing the workers’ daily payment, putting a stop to police harassment, withdrawing the cases against the workers, and ensuring road security.
Abul Hossain, a Dhaka bound passenger, said that he along with his family members were supposed to travel to Dhaka on Tuesday. However, he came to know about the strike after reaching the bus stop from his residence and was unable to make the trip.
Kamal Hossain, a counter Manager at Agomoni Enterprise, said that the strike was going on since Tuesday morning.
“We are not selling tickets. We heard a meeting will be held tonight in Dhaka about the withdrawal of the strike,” Kamal said.
Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation Rangpur divisional unit Secretary MA Mazid said that the strike came as a surprise to him as the transport workers federation did not call for any strike.
It was probably called by a section of the bus owners association, he said, demanding that the mastermind behind the strike be found.
