Bus owners on Thursday night suspended services to Dhaka from Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj and Natore districts in protest against what they termed "irrational demands" of drivers and transport workers.
The suspension began at 10pm, said Bazlur Rahman Ratan, president of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association.
Only Ekota Transport buses and local buses are operating. All other bus services are suspended.
Earlier this month, drivers, helpers, and supervisors enforced two separate stoppages demanding higher wages and allowances.
Owners said that although workers’ salaries and benefits were recently increased, they have again raised new demands, including "khoraqi" (additional subsistence allowance) and permission to pick up passengers randomly along routes.
“Such practices will cause financial losses and under these conditions, it is impossible to continue operations,” said Ratan adding: "They have stated that they will not operate the buses, to which we responded that we do not wish to conduct bus services under such conditions. The buses may remain idle for a few days if they choose."
He also said that a meeting was held in Dhaka on Tuesday with leaders of both the workers’ federation and owners’ association where operations resumed after a compromise. But fresh disputes have forced another shutdown.
On September 7, workers had also enforced a strike for two days. Services resumed on September 9 and they even slapped another strike from Monday.
The latest suspension has left travelers bound for Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet and Cox’s Bazar in severe distress.
