Bangladesh
Transport Strike Suffering for passengers as transport strike continues
Dhaka, November 5: The transport strike began on Friday (November 5th) morning in protest of a jump in diesel and kerosene prices by Tk 15 per liter. The Road Transport Owners Association, Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, Bangladesh Truck-Bus Owners Association and Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners Association called for a nationwide bus-truck strike on Thursday.
At first, they called for a mass transport strike in different districts, but later the Central Transport Owners' Association expressed solidarity with the call. As a result, public transport has been closed across the country since 8 am on Friday. And ordinary passengers across the country, including the capital, have suffered. Crowds of passengers waiting for cars were seen at every bus stop in the capital.
However, the most miserable victims are the examinees who come to take the test.
Admission test for the graduate (honors) class of seven government colleges affiliated to Dhaka University is starting today Admission test will be held from 10 am to 11 pm. Dhaka University, the controller of seven colleges, said the exams would be held despite the transport strike. The students who came to take part in the exams have suffered the most due to lack of public transport.
A few examinees were waiting for a car at the Basabo bus stop in the capital. They told RTV News that we had to suffer because of the sudden closure of public transport. I have been waiting for the car for about 40 minutes but I can't find any car. Rickshaws and CNG are asking for several times more fare. Now we have to go to the test center with extra rent. They said the government should have resolved the issue of bus fares before raising the price of oil but instead of doing so, ordinary passengers like us are suffering as a result of the sudden increase in the price of oil.
Haji Md. Tofazzal Hossain Majumder, President of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners Association, said that transport of goods in trucks and covered vans across the country will be closed indefinitely from 6:00 am. The strike will continue till the government accepts our demands. It is unreasonable to suddenly increase the price of oil without talking to the owners. As a result of this price increase, not only we, the transport owners, but also the people of the entire country will be affected. So far no proposal has come from the government in this regard.
