City people suffer on 2nd day of transport strike [ Tritiyo Matra News ]

City people suffer on 2nd day of transport strike

Local June 22, 2016

People continued to suffer on Tuesday as transport workers observed strike at the capital’s Saidabad bus terminal.
City services in other parts of the capital were also disrupted for the strike.
However, after transport workers withdrew their strike in the afternoon, long-route buses on Chittagong, Sylhet, Comilla and Noakhali district routes and city service buses on Jatrabari route resumed.
Leaders of transport organisations alleged that a group of transport workers enforced the strike and blockade to get share of the money extorted from bus terminals.
Earlier on Monday morning, transport workers blocked Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover for about two hours following a clash between Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Union and Dhaka Zila Sarak Paribahan Sramik Union at Gulistan over occupying an office.
BSPSU general secretary Md Korom Ali alleged that activists of DZSPSU in the early hours on the day had occupied their Gulistan office.
They had blocked the road protesting at the matter and stopped movement of all long-route buses from the Saidabad terminal till Monday about 3:00pm, he said.
From Tuesday morning, they observed strike at the terminal to get back their office while no long-route bus left the terminal, he said.
DZSPSU president Md Safar Ali Bhuiyan claimed that the office was their while the authorities said they would ensure their ownership by checking their document.
A large number of people were seen to wait at the Saidabad terminal since morning while transport works were seen to stop city service buses from Jatrabari point in the city.
People including elderly people, women and children were seen to walk after being compelled to get down from buses.
City service buses were fewer in the first part of the day in different areas including Gulistan, Shahbagh, Motijheel, Mirpur and Dhanmondi.
About 5:00pm, the transport workers called off the strike after getting assurance from home minister Asaduzzaman Khan.
Currently police have been deployed at the workers’ Gulistan office until it is decided which organisation will get it.
In a statement sent by the BSPSU on Tuesday, the leaders said they would go for tougher movement if the authorities would not give them back their office within the next 24 hours.
Protesting at the strike, Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik League on Tuesday organised a human chain in front of National Press Club.
General secretary of the organisation Insor Ali alleged that some transport workers had staged the drama by using name of shipping minister Shajahan Khan to get share of extortion.
He said the leaders had collected lakhs of taka from the terminals daily and the clash had been caused to get share of the money.
In a statement, Passenger Welfare Association of Bangladesh also protested at the strike and urged the transport leaders not to call strike before Eid-ul-Fitr considering people’s sufferings.