News Desk :
Transport workers enforced an indefinite strike in Sylhet division from today to press home their five-point demand.
Abu Sarker, acting president of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation’s Sylhet divisional committee, came up with the announcement on Sunday.
He said all modes of transport, including bus and truck, will be kept off from 6am on Monday till the demands are met.
During the strike, no long-route public transport will be allowed to enter or leave Sylhet.
“We have submitted a memorandum to deputy commissioner on November 9 in this regard. But the administration did not take any step over the issue. For this, we will go for our pre-schedule movement,” Abu Sarker said.
The demands include: dropping cases against district bus and minibus transport workers, no toll on bridges whose toll collection period is over, arranging parking for lighter vehicles like car, microbuses, human haulers and auto-rickshaws at different places including Chouhatta, holding the triennial election of Sylhet’s District Auto-tempo and Auto-rickshaw Workers Federation properly.
UNB adds: Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation (BRTWF) called an indefinite strike in Sylhet from Monday to press for their five-point demand.
All modes of public transport, including buses, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and freight trucks will stay off the roads in Sylhet from 6 am onwards, said BRTWF organizing secretary (Sylhet division) Zakaria Ahmed.
“On November 9, we handed over a five-point demand to the deputy commissioner of Sylhet. As no initiative has been taken to meet those demands, all modes of public transport in Sylhet will be staying off the roads indefinitely from Monday as per our previously announced programme.”
Their demands are: Sylhet Regional Auto-tempo and Auto Rickshaw Driver Workers’ Alliance must complete its triennial election and refund of cash collected as nomination fee as well as suspending the Deputy Director of Sylhet Regional Labor Department, withdrawal of the case filed against leaders of Sylhet District Bus, Minibus Coach-Microbus Workers Union; an end to the harassment of drivers by traffic and highway police in Sylhet; stopping toll collection on damaged bridges and ensuring parking facility for small vehicles.
