Transport workers in Kushtia have begun an indefinite strike from 6am on Friday in protest of recent assaults and vehicle vandalism, resulting in the suspension of all passenger bus services on local routes.
The Bus Owner-Worker Oikya Parishad called for the strike on Thursday evening.
Due to the strike, bus services on routes like Kushtia-Meherpur, Kushtia-Rajbari, Kushtia-Khulna-Jashore, Kushtia-Barisal, Kushtia-Rajshahi, Kushtia-Pabna-Sirajganj, and Kushtia-Pragpur, among others, have been suspended, causing significant inconvenience to passengers.
However, long-distance buses to Dhaka are still operating.
The strike was called after two buses were vandalized by CNG-run autorickshaw drivers in the Amla area of Mirpur upazila on the Kushtia-Meherpur regional highway on Thursday afternoon.
Earlier, on Tuesday, auto-rickshaw drivers in the Bheramara area of the Kushtia-Pragpur route broke the glass of a Hisna Transport bus and assaulted four transport workers.
This led to further incidents of vandalism and assaults on workers in other areas of the local routes.
Although the issue was reportedly resolved on Thursday morning through mediation by the acting deputy commissioner and superintendent of police, another incident occurred in the afternoon, prompting the indefinite strike.
Kushtia District Motor Workers’ Union President Mahabul Haque said that the court has banned three-wheelers from operating on highways, yet they continue to do so, often taking passengers from bus stops.
When transport workers protest, they are met with violence. Due to safety concerns, the workers are unwilling to resume their duties until the issue is resolved.
A meeting with the district administration has been scheduled for 11am to discuss the matter.
Hassan Abul Fazal Selim, general secretary of the Kushtia Bus Owners Group, expressed support for the workers' decision, said that they will not operate buses until a satisfactory resolution is reached.
Although Dhaka-bound buses will run for one day (Friday), they will stop afterward if the strike continues.
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Kushtia, Sharmin Akhtar, said that a previous meeting had been held to address the issue. A follow-up meeting has been called to review the situation and take necessary actions.
