Staff Reporter :
The countrywide indefinite transport strike entered second consecutive day on Saturday with all buses-intra and intercity and microbuses stayed off road in the capital and elsewhere across the country.
Since Friday morning, no inter-districts buses have started from Gabtoli, Mohakhali and Saidabad bus terminals in the capital for the second consecutive day.
Some city service and inter-district buses of the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, packed with passengers and without maintaining basic Covid-19 health safety guidelines, were seen running.
At Gabtoli terminal all bus counters were seen closed while some the counter men said they were waiting for the order from the leaders.
In front of the terminal some motorcyclists were seen waiting for taking passengers after bargaining. Some of the car drivers also did the same.
On the other hand, in the context of transport strike all eyes are at the today’s meeting between Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and transport owners’ and workers. It’s been scheduled to hold at Sunday. The owners’ and workers will take next decision as what initiatives will be taken from the meeting said the transport leaders.
Moreover, a day after owners and workers of public and cargo transports began an indefinite strike over a hike in fuel prices, launch services have also been halted leaving scores of travellers in the lurch.
As buses stayed off the roads on Friday, south-bound passengers swarmed Dhaka’s Sadarghat to reach their destinations through the waterways.
And on Saturday morning, 30 vessels headed to different parts of the country from Sadarghat but launch operations stopped around 3:30 pm. “After the morning departures, there were still 35 launches at the pontoon. But in the afternoon, those were removed from the pier,” BIWTA Transport Inspector Md Humayun said.
Asked about the matter, Mamunur Rashid, a launch owner, said, “It’s not possible to run the launch without increasing the fare. So all the owners have decided against continuing launch services.”
However, he said the decision did not come from the Launch Owners’ Association. Leaders of the association were not immediately available for comment.
A meeting with Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority on a hike in the launch fare was scheduled for Saturday. However, Mamun said the meeting did not take place.
Workers and owners of trucks and buses are enforcing a nationwide after the government announced that the price of diesel would be raised by Tk 15 to Tk 80.
In light of the hike in fuel prices, launch owners have called for the fares to be doubled.
They have proposed fixing the fare at Tk 3.40 for the first 100 kilometres, from Tk 1.70, while raising the rate to Tk 2.80 from Tk 1.40 beyond 100 kilometres.
The strike, enforced by owners and workers of passenger and good-carrying transports demanding increased bus fares and withdrawal of the government decision to raise fuel oil prices, caused huge sufferings to people of all walks of life.
People were forced to pay higher fares for using other transports including CNG-run auto-rickshaws and rickshaws.
They also paid higher fares for using motorcycles and cars which were running illegally without using ridesharing apps.
Even pickups, and rickshaw vans were seen carrying passengers inside and outskirts of the capital.
With the new fuel oil prices coming into effect on Thursday, the Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van, Tank, Lorry and Prime Mover Owners and Workers’ Coordination Council called a countrywide strike for an indefinite period from Friday.
‘I have to go to Dinajpur as I don’t have place to stay in Dhaka,’ said Sohel Rana, a passenger waiting at the terminal.
He said that he came to the terminal from moghbazar area by rickshaw and pickup van.
‘Now I’ll go to Kamrangirchar possibly by Leguna as I have a place there,’ he added.
Meanwhile, in the capital there was huge traffic congestion of cars, micro buses, auto-rickshaws and rickshaws.
Commuters had a harrowing time on the day due to the strike.
In many areas of the city, people were seen waiting on the roads, desperately looking to hail ride-sharing cabs and shared autos to reach their destination.
Several commuters complained that the auto and cycle rickshaw drivers were taking advantage of the situation by overcharging them. ‘Auto drivers are demanding double the fare. It’s a nightmare for us,’ said an office-goer.
Uttara Rajlaxmi traffic inspector Akteruzzaman said, ‘I have not spotted a single bus on the roads since morning. Only cabs, private vehicles and autos are plying.’
