Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owner's Association on Wednesday has called for a 12-hour bus strike amid BNP's Sylhet divisional rally on Saturday.
Previously, the District Bus Workers Union stated that they have not decided to hold any strike on that day.
President of Sylhet District Bus Owners Association and former union chairman Abul Kalam said that they have called this strike as part of the pre-announced program and it has nothing to do with the BNP rally.
He also said that in the beginning of this month, they sent a memo to the divisional commissioner demanding that CNG auto rickshaws be equipped with grills, that unregistered autorickshaws be stopped from moving, and that new autorickshaws be barred from being registered in Sylhet. But the administration hasn't yet given them any information. Therefore, they decided to stage a symbolic strike.
However, he also said: “If the administration accepts our demands, we will call off the strike.”
A source close to the transport owners claimed that the owners and labour leaders were under pressure to call the strike two days ahead of the BNP event. The Sylhet leaders were also summoned to Dhaka by the central leaders of the transport owners and employees, who asked them to declare a three-day strike. However, Sylhet's bus owners and labour leaders opposed the strike.
Sylhet district BNP President Abdul Qayum Chowdhury said that the government called the strike to disrupt the BNP rally.
On the other hand, Sylhet District Road Transport Workers Union President Md Moinul Islam earlier said that all their unions have decided not to go on a transport strike. They oppose placing barriers in the way of any political party's events.
On November 19, the Sylhet divisional mass meeting of BNP will be held at the Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground. Party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will be present as the chief guest.
District BNP President Abdul Qayum Chowdhury said: "A stage of 2,100 square feet has been constructed for the rally."
He also said that they will overcome all odds and make the rally a successful one.
A district BNP leader said that 25 community centres in the city have been booked for the night of November 18. Along with this, plans are being developed for the workers' supporters to spend the night in the city's open fields.