Patuakhali-Dhaka Route
Passengers' woes mount as launch strike continues
Passengers' sufferings mounted as staff and owners of double-decker launches on Dhaka-Patuakhali route continued their strike for the fifth day yesterday.
They began an indefinite strike after a group of ruling party men assaulted a launch supervisor on Thursday.
A good number of tourists have already cancelled their hotel bookings at Kuakata due to launch strike. Abdul Matin, a bookstall owner in Patuakhali town, said they couldn't bring books from Dhaka for the students of new academic year.
Tanvir Ahmed, vice president of Patuakhali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said local businessmen are facing untold sufferings due to the strike.
He urged the authorities concerned to take immediate step to resume launch service on the route.
Launch staff and owners said about 10/12 men led by Gazi Hafizur Rahman Shabir alias Shabir Gazi, secretary of town unit Awami League (AL), swooped on Eunus, supervisor of Sundarbans-6, at around 8:00am
The gang physically assaulted Eunus as he refused to pay toll, they said.
Soon after the incident, the double-decker launches that reached Patuakhali from Dhaka on Thursday morning and schedule to leave Patuakhali for the capital city in the evening moved off the terminal and anchored in Lohalia area, on the other side of the terminal.
"We went on the strike demanding arrest of the attackers and safety of the launch staff," said Abul Kalam Khan, owner of a launch
"We will continue our strike until lawful actions are taken against Shabir Gazi and his accomplices," he added. Shabir Gazi however, refuted the allegation of assaulting supervisor Eunus.
Sources said a section of ruling AL men were engaged in collecting toll from all launches on the route. Protesting the matter, owners stopped plying launches on the route two month ago.
They later withdrew their programme after local administration assured them of taking steps in this regard.
After some days, the gang reappeared and started collecting toll from the double-decker launches as usual.
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