Transport workers threaten nationwide demo for amendment to ‘oppressive’ act

The transport workers and leaders have threatened a nationwide movement if their demand of amending the Road Transport Act 2018 is not met by 31 December.

The demand came from a demonstration and human chain of transport workers against the recent arson attacks on and sabotage of several buses in Dhaka. Bangladesh Paribahan Sramik Federation organised the event at the National Press Club on Sunday.

At the event, Osman Ali, general secretary of the organisation, said, "Miscreants set fire on buses, kill workers and injure them. Hundreds of workers have already been crippled in terrorist attacks."

Instead of trying those incidents, the government has enacted various oppressive laws against the transport workers and provided various punishments, including 5 years of imprisonment, he also said.

Mentioning that they would not tolerate it anymore, he threatened, "If the law against transport workers is not amended by 31 December, we will go for a nationwide movement."

At the event, Shahjahan Khan, acting president of Bangladesh Paribahan Sramik Federation, said, "The BNP-Jamaat has started arson attacks again after being isolated from the people. They have failed in the democratic movement and are carrying out sabotage by targeting the transport workers-owners."

Recently, they have set fire to cars in different places and are complaining that the government has done all these, said Shahjahan Khan.

"Earlier, they were involved in the politics of killing transport workers, burning cars and killing people. We demand the government expedite the trial of these arsonists through tribunals," he further said.

Sadiqur Rahman, president of Bangladesh Paribahan Sramik Federation Dhaka metropolitan, and Mofizul Haque Bebu, member secretary of the federation, and other transport workers and leaders of different units were also present on the occasion.