People suffer as transport strike underway

Staff Correspondent: The transport strike enforced by transport workers is underway in the country since Sunday morning, causing immense suffering to the people.

Transport workers declared a 48-hour strike to press home their eight-point charter of demands, which includes amendments to the recently-passed Road Transport Act.

The nationwide strike has begun at 6:00am Sunday which will continue till 6:00am on Tuesday. Following the strike, all types of public transports are closed. As a result, immobility has grabbed the whole country including capital. 

Due to the strike, many passengers are facing trouble after coming out from their home. The people are forced to find alternatives ways to go to their destinations.

Although, some buses of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) are seen plying in city roads but the number of buses are few against the demand.

Usman Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation said the workers will not drive any transports from 6 am Sunday to 6 am Tuesday.



The eight demands of transport workers are: Making all offences under the Road Transport Act 'bailable, Cancellation of the provision that allows a worker to be fined Tk5 lakh for involvement in a road accident, Keeping a representative from their federation in any probe body formed for road accidents, Fixing the minimum educational qualification for getting a driving licence at class-V, Reducing “Weigh-scale” (Truck Weight Scale) fine and cancellation of punishment, During the registration of a vehicle, attested signature of union president and general secretary should be made necessary, All the districts will have to issue a driver's licence with extensive training, and corruption and irregularities in the issue of licences should be stopped.

Earlier on October 7, the transport owner and worker unity council called a strike demanding a seven-point including amendment of the recently passed Road Transport Act. Later, the transport workers withdrew their strike following the assurance of the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.


risingbd/Dhaka/Oct 28, 2018/Hasan/Nasim