Owners, Workers Protest Extortion
Gabtoli-Dhubaria bus service halted for 7 hrs
Passenger buses lie idle at Ghior BN High School ground as bus owners and workers stopped plying of their vehicles on Gabtoli-Dhubaria Road for seven hours yesterday demanding an end to extortion and vandalism of transports. The agitation programme was later withdrawn as authorities assured them of proper action within a short time.Photo: STAR
Owners and workers yesterday suspended bus service on Gabtoli-Dhubaria route via Manikganj for seven hours protesting toll collection and assault on bus workers by ruling party men. The transport workers gathered on Ghior DN High School playground in the morning and held a protest rally against toll collection and beating up bus workers. Mortaza Ali, secretary of Village Line Bus Workers' Association, alleged that Daulatpur Upazila Awami League Secretary Farid Ahmed and some others obstructed a bus at Daulatpur bus stand in Manikganj Wednesday evening and forced the bus driver to move its direction. They also beat up driver Abbas when he protested the incident. Mizanur Rahman Kudrat, joint convener of Village Line Bus Owners' Association, also alleged that a group of ruling party youths and Farid Ahmed frequently ransacked the buses operating on the route and beat up bus workers to realise toll money. The bus owners and workers decided to resume bus operation on the route at about 2:00pm yesterday after getting assurance from the AL leaders of Ghior and Daulatpur upazilas regarding taking lawful action against the persons responsible for Wednesday's incident. When contacted, Daulatpur Upazila AL Secretary Farid Ahmed denied his involvement in the incidents and said buses are running on the road without route permit. Member of Parliament from Nagarpur and veteran freedom fighter Abdul Baten inaugurated the bus service on the route before the last Eid-ul-Fitr for the greater interest of people of Daulatpur of Manikganj and Nagarpur of Tangail district. Thirty-two buses are now operating on the route.
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