Vehicular movement resumes on Buriganga bridge

Vehicular movement on the first Buriganga bridge at Keraniganj resumed after six and a half hours of blockade by transport workers protesting “toll hike”.

Transport workers put the blockade on the bridge, also known as China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge, around 8:00am, halting the vehicular movement, reports Bangla daily Prothom Alo.

The blockade was withdrawn around 2:30pm after the transport and road department officials assured that the additional toll will not be charged anymore, said Imdadul Hossain, convener of First Buriganga Bridge Toll Free Sangram Parishad.

The transport workers earlier alleged that gatekeepers were charging twice or thrice the amount of toll fare than usual.

Protesting the addition charge, the transport workers blocked the bridge saying that they are unable to pay the high rates.

Md Kamaruzzaman, a central leader of Road Transport Shramik Federation and adviser of First Buriganga Bridge Toll Free Sangram Parishad, alleged that they are being forced to pay more money than before. “A CNG-driven auto-rickshaw now has to pay Tk 35 in toll for using the bridge whereas it was Tk 10 even a few days back”.

Transport movement from Dhaka to Keraniganj, Munshiganj, Khulna and Barisal remained halted since the blockade and a tailback ensued at both ends of the bridge.