Rajshahi bus workers call off strike on condition of pay hike 

Transport workers in Rajshahi have temporarily withdrawn their strike, allowing buses to resume operations on the Rajshahi–Dhaka route. 

However, they have issued a three-day ultimatum for raising the salaries of supervisors and assistants, and a one-month deadline for increasing drivers' salaries.

The announcement was made by local labour leader Ziaur Rahman on Tuesday (30 September) afternoon following a meeting with bus owners in Rajshahi. 

Bus services returned to normal from Tuesday evening, bringing ease to passengers.

Ziaur Rahman said that the strike was called off on assurances from the owners to increase supervisors' allowances by Tk100 and assistants' by Tk50.

Earlier on Thursday (26 September), bus owners had suddenly suspended operations over the issue of workers' pay raises. 

Although the four-day owners' strike was called off on Monday, a section of workers rejected that decision and continued to halt bus services.

On Tuesday morning, even though a few buses left the Shiroil bus terminal, workers stopped them. 

Demanding fair wages and improved benefits, they staged a sit-in programme until night time.

Workers claimed that they do not receive the same benefits as those employed by Ekota Paribahan, which operates on the same route. They declared they would not return to work until their demands are met.

Earlier this month, drivers, supervisors, and assistants had suspended bus operations on two other occasions over similar demands for higher pay and benefits.

Masud Hossain, manager of Desh Travels in Rajshahi, said that after the strike was withdrawn, they resumed bus operations from the evening.