Commuters suffer as bus strike underway on Barguna-Dhaka route

An indefinite transport strike was imposed on the Barguna-Dhaka route from this (September 19, 2022) morning, causing immense suffering to the commuters.

Barguna Transport Management Committee called the strike, protesting that buses on the Barguna-Dhaka route have not been allowed to ply on the Barguna-Bakerganj road, said AK Azad Bablu, joint convener of the committee.

Witnesses said no long-distance passenger buses, including Dhaka, have left Barguna since this morning. 

All kinds of passengers, including job holders, have suffered due to the strike. Patients and their relatives are in dire straits, they said.

Azad also said more than 100 passenger buses ply the Barguna-Dhaka route every day. But the bus strike was called as the leaders and activists of Barishal's Rupatoli Bus Owners Association obstructed the movement of long-distance buses, including Dhaka, from Barishal to Barguna via Bakherganj.

He also said buses are not allowed to enter the Bakerganj-Barguna route since the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, on the pretext of not having a route permit.

Siddiqur Rahman Tuku, convener of Barguna's Transport Management Committee, said bus owners and workers in Barishal also beat up passengers and bus workers on the route. "Many of us did not get any justice on the matter. That's why we called for a strike."

However, Barisal bus owners and workers' authorities could not be reached for comments in this regard.

Barguna Deputy Commissioner Habibur Rahman said they have heard about the bus strike in Barguna. Efforts will be made to resolve the issue in consultation with the concerned authorities.