Bangladesh
Transport Strike Transport strike: No bus, truck services from Friday morning
Dhaka, November 5: Owners of trucks and freight transport called for a strike in protest of the rise in fuel prices, but the bus strike was in doubt all day on Thursday. However, the road transport owners' association has cleared the matter at night. They say the bus service will be closed from Friday morning.
On Thursday night, Khandaker Enayet Ullah, secretary general of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, said, "Transport owners would not operate. Their decision is upheld. Although we have not made any announcement on behalf of the organization, transport will be closed from 6:00 am on Friday. The Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association is also in favor of the decision to stop long-distance traffic."
Rakesh Ghosh, co-general secretary of the organization, said on Thursday night, "Transport will be closed across the country from Friday morning. We did not announce a strike on behalf of the organization. But owners won't operate. Regional committees are announcing to stop bus services in different districts."
The concerned people said that they have decided to stop public transport indefinitely from Friday even though it has not been officially announced. The information was confirmed by four leaders of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, the largest bus owners' organization, Thursday (November 4) afternoon.
The government increased the price of diesel by Tk 15 per liter from midnight on Wednesday (November 3). Leaders of various organizations in the transport sector held a meeting among themselves on Thursday. From these meetings it was decided to stop the transport till the fares are decreased.
A leader of the Transport Owners Association, who did not want to be named, said leaders of most transport organizations were involved in pro-government politics. So they do not want to officially declare a strike. However, the movement of commercial vehicles, including buses, will be stopped unofficially.
