Bus boycott in Sylhet continues

Residents of Jaintapur, Kanaighat and Gowainghat started their boycott programme on October 13 protesting the activities of the owners and workers of buses and minibuses who forced the administration to stop the BRTC service on Sylhet-Tamabil highway.

BRTC had been operating four buses on Sylhet-Jaintapur, Sylhet-Kanaighat and Sylhet-Gowainghat routes since September, but its service was suspended in the face of agitation by transport owners and workers.

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The transport workers also enforced a strike from October 22 to press home their demand for curtailment of BRTC buses. They withdrew the strike after three days when the BRTC agreed to ply only one bus.

The decision to reduce BRTC service has sparked off adverse reaction among the people of three upazilas who had been agitating against the transport owners and workers.

At a rally at the Jaintapur upazila headquarters on Sunday evening, the Brihattar Jainta Samannaya Samity announced that the boycott will continue in protest against the reduction of BRTC buses.

Chaired by the ex-upazila chairman of Jaintapur, the meeting was addressed by leaders of all political parties and chairmen of different union parishads.

Ruling party lawmaker Dilder Hossain Selim and Director (Administration) of BRTC Shahjahan Talukder, also spoke.

Meanwhile, the Greater Sylhet Ganadabi Parishad has demanded reintroduction of adequate BRTC buses in different routes in Sylhet and protested harassment of passengers in private buses and minibuses.

The leaders of the organisation placed their demand at a public rally in the city's court area yesterday evening.

They strongly protested the suspension of BRTC bus service.