A faction of a road transport owners and workers' platform has enforced
an indefinite strike in seven south-western districts to press for an
11-point charter of demands, though another faction refrained from the
strike after talks with the Communications Minister.
The South-Western Road Transportation Owners-Workers Unity Council-enforced strike came into effect since Tuesday morning.
No long-route buses were seen leaving Kushtia, Jhenidah, Meherpur, Rajbari and Faridpur since morning affecting road communication in 21 districts and leaving thousands of commuters and goods for transport stuck.
General Secretary of the Kushtia District Motor Workers' Union, Abjal Hossain said, "We had to enforce the pre-announced strike as no effective solution to our demands came out of the meetings with the government."
The platform of transport owners and workers had announced strike in 21 south-western districts on Oct 1 to press for their 11-point charter of demands which included bringing an end to smashing and torching of vehicles after accidents and providing adequate compensation to the owners of the damaged vehicles.
The other demands include stopping human haulers plying on the roads, returning vehicles damaged in accidents to owners within 48 hours and stopping police extortion.
Communications Minister Obaidul Quader had a meeting with the platform's leaders on Monday in Dhaka following announcement to enforce the strike.
On the other hand, General Secretary of the Paribahan Malik Sramik Oikkya Parishad Abdur Rahim Baks Dudu told journalists that they decided to withdraw their strike following the minister's assurance on their demands.
Quader had said the road transportation advisory council meeting on Sunday had had a 'fruitful' discussion on nine of the demands. Those would be implemented gradually, he had said.
News reports based on the statements of Quader and Dudu said that the transport strike had been put off, but the transporters of seven districts dissented and enforced strike in their districts.
Deputy Commissioner of Kushtia Banamali Bhoumik and Superintendent of Police Mafiz Ahmmed, however, could not be reached for their comments.
The South-Western Road Transportation Owners-Workers Unity Council-enforced strike came into effect since Tuesday morning.
No long-route buses were seen leaving Kushtia, Jhenidah, Meherpur, Rajbari and Faridpur since morning affecting road communication in 21 districts and leaving thousands of commuters and goods for transport stuck.
General Secretary of the Kushtia District Motor Workers' Union, Abjal Hossain said, "We had to enforce the pre-announced strike as no effective solution to our demands came out of the meetings with the government."
The platform of transport owners and workers had announced strike in 21 south-western districts on Oct 1 to press for their 11-point charter of demands which included bringing an end to smashing and torching of vehicles after accidents and providing adequate compensation to the owners of the damaged vehicles.
The other demands include stopping human haulers plying on the roads, returning vehicles damaged in accidents to owners within 48 hours and stopping police extortion.
Communications Minister Obaidul Quader had a meeting with the platform's leaders on Monday in Dhaka following announcement to enforce the strike.
On the other hand, General Secretary of the Paribahan Malik Sramik Oikkya Parishad Abdur Rahim Baks Dudu told journalists that they decided to withdraw their strike following the minister's assurance on their demands.
Quader had said the road transportation advisory council meeting on Sunday had had a 'fruitful' discussion on nine of the demands. Those would be implemented gradually, he had said.
News reports based on the statements of Quader and Dudu said that the transport strike had been put off, but the transporters of seven districts dissented and enforced strike in their districts.
Deputy Commissioner of Kushtia Banamali Bhoumik and Superintendent of Police Mafiz Ahmmed, however, could not be reached for their comments.
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