Road barricades by motor, factory workers in 2 dists
Motor workers in Chapainawabganj place buses haphazardly on three major highways to barricade those yesterday protesting alleged assault on their colleagues by the mayor.Photo: STAR
Aggrieved motor workers in the town blocked three major roads yesterday demanding action against Chapainawabganj mayor for allegedly beating up a driver and helper. Traffic on Chapainawabganj-Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj-Sonamasjid land port and Chapainawabganj-Nachole highways came to a halt for about three hours as they put up barricades by placing buses haphazardly on roads, causing immense sufferings to the passengers. Shahidul Islam, president of Chapainawabganj Truck and Motor Workers Union said, a Nachole bound passenger bus from Chapainawabganj central bus terminal hit the jeep of the mayor in Alinagar area in front of Alinagar High School on Friday at around 2:45 pm. At this, mayor Abdul Matin and his men beat up bus driver Hamidur Rahman and helper Bakul. They also ransacked the bus and broke its glasses, he said. This triggered protest among workers who blocked several roads at around 10:00am. Being informed, K M Ali Azam, deputy commissioner of Chapainawabganj and Ruhul Amin, chairman of Sadar upazila parishad rushed to the spot and requested them to lift the barricade in favour of the home-coming people and other passengers ahead of Eid. They also assured them of solving the problem after Eid. Later, the agitating workers withdrew the blockade from the highways and roads at around 1:00 pm. In Gazipur, traffic movement on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in Sripur upazila remained halted for about one hour yesterday due to road blockade by packaging workers. Police said workers of Bangladesh Master Pack Limited at Gilarchala in the upazila stopped work at 8:00am and blocked the highway demanding payment of their wages of the current month ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, reports UNB. Later, the agitating workers also hurled brickbats at the workers of a nearby factory apparently in a bid to force them to join their programme. On information, police rushed in and calmed the angry workers with an assurance that they along with local people would hold talks with the management for fulfilling their demand. A huge traffic jam took place on the highway during the blockade from 8:00am to 9:00am.
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