Ambulance owners call strike from tomorrow

Bangladesh Ambulance Malik Kallyan Samiti (BAMKS) has called for an indefinite nationwide strike from tomorrow to press home their six-point demands, including the withdrawal of taxes imposed by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

Their demands include income tax exemption from the ambulances, adopting a national ambulance policy, toll exemption facility, parking facilities in the hospitals, priority service at the fuel stations, and harassment-free movement on the roads.

"We will continue our strike until our demands are met," Golam Mostafa, president of the BAMKS.

He also said they had been communicating with the authorities concerned since 2017 to press home their demands. "But no one is paying attention to us," he added.

He alleged, "Traffic police harass us on roads and impose fines, thanks to the gap in the BRTA rules."

"We will withdraw our strike immediately once the harassment is stopped and the authorities sit with us to discuss our demands," he further said.

There are around 5,000 members who own more than 7,000 ambulances, registered with the BRTA, according to Mostafa.