A 48-hour strike enforced by goods transport owners and workers is underway in Sylhet on Monday, demanding the withdrawal of the ban on stone extraction as well as the reopening of stone quarries.
The strike, enforced by Sylhet divisional Truck, Pickup Van and Covered Van Owners-Workers' Solidary Council, started at 6 am.
Sabbir Ahmed Foyez, organizing secretary of the council said: “Our strike is going on peacefully.”
They will go on indefinite strike in the district if their demand is not met, he added.
A meeting of goods transport workers' leaders was held at the deputy commissioner's office on Sunday afternoon but no solution came from the meeting.
Although the district administration said that the leaders have assured them of withdrawal from the strike the workers' leaders said no such decision has been taken.
On Sunday, the goods transport owners decided to go on strike, demanding the withdrawal of a ban on stone extraction and the reopening of stone quarries in the district's Jaflong, Bisnakandi, and Bholaganj.
According to the transport workers and owners, a total of 1.5 million people are directly involved in the stone business in Sylhet.
Transport workers said stones from the quarries had long been transported across the country since the country's independence but a government ban for the last five years has had an adverse impact on the freight transport owners.