Ctg transport workers call strike over alleged assault by MP

Transport workers in five districts of Chattogram division have called a 48-hour strike from tomorrow morning in protest at assault on a workers’ leader by a local lawmaker.

In a press release, issued on January 11, they alleged that lawmaker Didarul Alam for Chattogram 4 constituency (Sitakunda) threatened to kill Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation’s Chattogram regional committee general secretary Oli Ahmed.

Oli told New Age on Saturday that on January 10 the lawmaker asked him and transport owners’ leaders on Alangkar-Sitakunda route to come to his house and told them to put bus operation on the route under his control or pay him Tk 2 lakh monthly.

Denied, the lawmaker beat transport owners’ leader Khorshed Alam and Oli, threatened to shot Oli dead and subject to enforced disappearance, Oli added.

Protesting at the incident, the federation leaders on January 11 decided to enforce the strike between Monday 6:00am and Wednesday 6:00am in Chattogram, Bandarban, Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Cox’s Bazar districts.

Brushing aside the allegation, lawmaker Didarul Alam alleged that on January 10 he requested the owners to reduce bus fare on the route.

But the owners said they could not do that as workers’ federation was already collecting Tk 3,000 monthly and Tk 380 daily from each of the 262 buses on the route, he said.

The leaders of owners and workers’ organisations left his house after an altercation over the issue, Didarul said.

‘If the workers enforce the strike, I will lodge defamation case against them for spreading false allegation against me,’ he added.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net