Transport owners' strike hurt livelihood of their own workers

Some 10,500 motor workers of the Khulna region suffered as they were left without work for two days after the leaders of the Khulna Motor Workers' Union expressed solidarity with the announcement of a 48-hour transport strike by the Khulna District Bus-Minibus Owners' Association.

Workers only earn when the buses operate but they have little choice but to follow the owners' decision, said motor workers, who were seen spending idle time at the Sonadanga Bus Stand on both Friday and Saturday.

"We were informed two days ago that the buses will not run on October 21 and 22. We cannot go against their [owners] decision," bus driver Noyon said on Friday.

"We do not earn a single penny if the buses do not run. The owners have the luxury to stop buses whenever they want. But, we are the ones who face the trouble, because we are also daily earners, so to speak," he added.

Israfil, a bus conductor said, "Workers never want the buses to stop. Each day buses do not operate, our families suffer. Besides, we cannot just find other work for a day or two. So, strike days mean we earn nothing. But we cannot do anything if the owners suspend the buses."

Another bus helper named Shoikot said, "If we had a monthly salary, it would not bother us. But, we get paid for each day's work."

Some motor workers, who did not want to be named, said they protested to the owners when the decision of the strike was announced on 19 October.

The owners do not want to disobey the directives of union leaders leaving the workers helpless, they said.

While the union leaders of bus, launch, and motor workers have floated their own arguments behind the simultaneous suspension of almost all public transports, the BNP leaders accused the ruling government was behind the strike which was imposed to stop people from joining the BNP rally.

However, BNP leaders and activists started to gather in numbers at the rally venue from the morning yesterday.

Commuters suffer

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of commuters in the Khulna region faced immense suffering on Saturday, the second day of the transport strike, announced by the Khulna Bus-Minibus Owners' Association. 

Later, the launch workers in Khulna also went on a 48-hour strike from Friday morning, demanding a hike in wages.

During the strike, Buses leaving for Khulna from different parts of the country made the final stoppage in Jashore instead of Khulna's Sonadanga Bus Terminal, causing sufferings to the common passengers. Public transport from Khulna also remained suspended, exacerbating the misery.   

With both buses and launches suspended, additional pressure fell on the rail route leading to a shortage of train tickets.

The UNB reported that hundreds of commuters were seen waiting at Sonadanga Bus Terminal and near the Royal Intersection to hail public transport to reach their respective destinations.

Manira Sultana, a commuter, said that she had earlier bought a bus ticket for Dhaka.

"I have been waiting at Sonadanga terminal for public transport since 8am," she said.

Mahmud Kamal, another person, said, "I have no idea what to do now. I would have purchased a train ticket for my destination had I known about the strike 4-5 days back."

Besides, a large number of job seekers in Khulna failed to appear in their examination under the Department of Social Welfare on Friday. Due to the lack of public transport, most of them failed to reach their exam centres on time.

Riad Hassan, a job aspirant, said, "I could not reach my exam hall due to lack of public transport. My dreams have been shattered."

On 19 October, the leaders of the Khulna Bus-Minibus Owners' Association, in the presence of the Motor Workers' Union leaders, said that the strike would be to protest against the movement of unauthorised three-wheelers, locally known as Nasiman, Kariman, and Bhatbhati.

Their other demand included the shutting of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) bus counters at every nook and corner of the district.

The launch workers said they had called the strike to press home their ten-point demands, including a wage hike.

Delwar Hossain, divisional organisational secretary of Bangladesh Launch Labour Association, claimed, "It has no connection with the BNP's mass rally slated for Saturday."

A total of 15 launches ply on a southern route from Khulna but none of them left terminals since Friday morning, giving passengers a harrowing time.