Goods-carrying vehicles’ 48hr strike postponed

Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van Owners-Workers Coordination Council today "postponed" for 15 days their countrywide 48-hour strike, which was supposed to start from tomorrow.

The transport organisation took the decision following a meeting with the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at his secretariat office.

"We have postponed our strike for 15 days as the home minister has assured us to meet our demands," Tajul Islam, member secretary of the platform, told The Daily Star tonight.

He said home minister assured them about giving compensation and punishing the BIWTA official who led the drive following investigation. "Besides, assurances have been given to meet our other demands. So, we have postponed our strike for 15 days," he added.

State Minister for Shipping Khaled Mahmud Chowdhury, Road Transport and Highway Division Secretary Nazrul Islam, transport leaders Shajahan Khan, Osman Ali, Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Khondaker Enayet Ullah, Rustam Ali Khan, among others took part in the meeting, Tajul said.

The platform, in a letter sent to different ministries and agencies on September 20, said that they would go for the 48-hour strike on October 12-13 to press home their nine point demands.

They alleged that Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) on August 26 'vandalised' 17 trucks and drum trucks in Gabtoli Beribadh area and auctioned four trucks with goods without any notice.

Their nine-point demands include compensations to the affected truck owners by the BIWTA, punishment of BIWTA officials involved in the drive, installation of truck terminals and resting places for truck drivers at different spots, incorporation of the recommendations of transport owners and workers' associations in the Road Transport Act 2018.