Transport workers go on strike on Sylhet-Tamabil road

Transport workers have called for an indefinite strike from Monday morning on the Sylhet-Tamabil regional highway, which leads to Jaflong, a popular tourist spot in Sylhet, demanding arrest of the people involved in hindering movement of buses.

The strike, enforced by Sylhet District Road Transport Workers Union protesting locals' resistance following Friday's tragic accident that killed five people, resulted in a halt of traffic movement, causing immense suffering for passengers.

Regarding the strike, Mainul Haque, president of Sylhet District Road Transport Workers Union, alleged that some locals, led by Jaintapur upazila chairman Kamal Ahmed, illegally barred the movements of buses on the road on Sunday.

For this, the transport owner and workers have filed a written complaint at Jaintapur police station and demanded immediate arrest of the people involved in resisting the movement of buses. But the police have not taken any action. We go on a strike in protest."

He said, if our demands are not met, a transport strike will be called in Sylhet. The final decision will be taken at Tuesday's meeting.

Talking to The Business Standard, Uttam Paul, who works in Gowainghat branch of a private bank, said, "I reside in the city and usually go to the office by bus.  Due to the bus strike, I had to travel a long way by auto-rickshaw and pay extra fares to attend the office. On the way back, I will have to suffer the same."

Laik Ahmad who came to Sylhet from Cumilla said, "I came to Sylhet with my family to visit Jaflong, a popular tourist spot in Sylhet.  But today I got stuck in Sylhet city because of the strike."

Jaintapur Upazila Parishad Chairman Kamal Ahmed said following Friday's road accident that killed five people, inhabitants of three upazilas had met in an emergency meeting on Saturday night and decided to resist reckless driving on this road."

Regarding the complaint, Upazila Chairman Kamal Ahmad said the transport workers have called a strike to divert this logical demand.

On Friday night, five people were killed and two others injured as a bus smashed into a battery-run three-wheeler on the road at the Darbast area under the Jaintiapur upazila.

However, Omar Farooq, officer-in-charge of Jaintapur police station, denied receiving any such complaints.

"I have not received any complaint about blocking the bus movement yet. However, the police filed a case in the case of five people killed in the accident," he added.