BSS, Chittagong :
Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation (BRTWF) on Sunday evening called off its ongoing 24-hour transport strike in greater Chittagong.
BRTWF in an emergency meeting held with its eastern zone president Mrinal Chowdhury in the chair decided to call off the transport strike from 6pm today.
BRTWF sources said the strike was called off demanding fulfillment of its five-point charter of demands within two months.
“The federation would, otherwise, start indefinite strike from January next”, the sources said.
Earlier, BRTWF called the 24-hour transport strike from 6 am on Sunday to 6am on Monday in all districts of Chittagong Division including three hill tracts districts and Cox’s Bazar to press home its five-point charter of demands.
Their demands are – repairing of roads, issuance of appointment letters to transport workers, end to harassment-extortion-repression, cancellation of the proposal to hold drivers responsible only for an accident and effective measures to evict illegal vehicles and reduce traffic jam.
Transport strike causes public sufferings: The transport strike enforced by Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation in Chittagong and its adjoining districts today caused immense sufferings to the people.
People from all walks of life suffered very much due to shortage of transports on the city streets during the strike that started from 6 am today and will end at 6 am Monday.
A good number of battery-run rickshaws was seen plying on the city streets but they demanded excess fair from the commuters.
Presence of motorized vehicles was thin due to fear of possible vandalism by the workers. Responding to the strike buses and heavy vehicles on the long distance routes did not ply on the streets.
The strike was observed in all districts of Chittagong Division including three hill tracts districts and Cox’s Bazar.
Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation called the 24-hour transport strike for Sunday in Chittagong to press home its five-point charter of demands.
Their demands are , repairing of roads, issuance of appointment letters to transport workers, end to harassment-extortion-repression, cancellation of the proposal to hold drivers responsible only for an accident and effective measures to evict illegal vehicles and curb traffic jam.
Workers of all public transports including buses, trucks and minibuses refrained from working and forcibly halted other vehicles, especially the CNG three wheelers.
Operational activities including loading and unloading of cargoes at ships inside the port and outer anchorage went on in full swing but transportation of export-import goods to and from the port jetty was hampered due to disruption in vehicular movements on the roads.
