Reza Mahmud :
Commuters have faced untold suffering due to sudden public transport strike across the country.
Transport owners and workers have called the strike to protest against recent fuel price hike.
No buses were seen in Dhaka’s streets on Friday morning. No long route bus has been leaving the capital either.
General people especially commuters have fallen in a serious crisis due to lack of public transports.
The streets of the capital found full of rickshaws while the bus terminals found full in communters waiting for a BRTC bus, the lone transport they have to rely on.
Like Gabtoli, large crowds were seen in Sayedabad, Shyamoli, Arambagh of Moitjheel, Mohakhali and different terminals.
All of the long haul commuters found waiting for a BRTC bus.
When a BRTC bus arrived there after a long time, passengers scrambled to get on board.
In a vacuum of public transports, auto-rickshaws and rickshaws increased their fares.
Like general commuters, examinees who supposed to take part of the admission test for the seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University struggled to get any transport.
Similarly, job seekers who have to attend different tests or Viva were also suffered.
Ashikur Rahman, from Magura district came to Dhaka on Thursday for visiting a physician in a city hospital.
After visiting doctor last night, he arrived at Gabtoli inter district bus terminal in the capital on Friday morning but surprised learning the sudden strike of public transports.
As the bus services suspended, private cars and microbuses drivers have taken it as a chance to carry passengers demanding high fare.
As the normal fare from Gabtoli to Paturia BIWTC terminal is Tk 100 to Tk 120, but the private car and microbus drivers were charging Tk 500 per head.
Such a high fare created huge problem to Ashik as he was not prepared for the situation.
Like Ashik, many other commuters also faced bitter situation.
Meanwhile, businesses have faced huge loss as cargo and trucks have suspended operations for the same reason.
Prices of several goods have increased in markets in fear of supply shortage due to the strike.
When contacted, Khandaker Enayetullah, General Secretary of Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association told The New Nation on Friday, “We have no ability to operate public transports with the prevailed fare, as the government has increased the price of fuel.”
“There are options to either cancel the hiked fuel price or announce new fare adjusting the increased fuel prices,” he said.
He said that the strike will be continued until the demands are met.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Chairman Nur Mohammad Mazumder said that a meeting would be held on Sunday to discuss transport fares.
The government on Wednesday increased diesel and kerosene prices by Tk15 per litre – from Tk 65 to Tk 80.
Owners of public transports started strike across the country from Friday demanding cancellation of the hiked price of the fuel or to announce new fares for public transports.
Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners’ Association, Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation and Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Drivers’ Union have declared the strike with the demand.
Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners’ Association President Md Tofazzal Hossain Majumder and Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association Executive President Rustam Ali Khan on Thursday declared the nationwide indefinite strike protesting the hike in diesel oil price.
The sufferings of commuters might be continuing until the success of the Sunday’s meeting, experts said.
