Transport strike called off

Road transport workers in Rangpur has called off their indefinite strike following assurance of administration to meet their demands including compensation to the family of driver Jala, who was beaten to death in Chattogram Tuesday.

Besides, transport workers in Chattogram postponed their strike at 12:00 noon until May 4.

Jalaluddin, 55, a driver of a Shyamoli Paribahan NR Travels bus, was beaten to death by a group of people who claimed to be detectives in Patiya upazila of Chattogram on April 22.

Protesting the death, transports workers went on the strike for indefinite in eight districts under Rangpur division from this morning.

Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Mahmudul Alam held a meeting at his office with at least 15 to 20 transport leaders and assured them to meet their demands to put an end to this crisis.

Akhter Hossain Badal, president of Rangpur Divisional Committee of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, which called the strike, told The Daily Star that they reached the decision with the local public administration.

As per the decision, the government will pay Tk 3000 per month to Jalal’s family until any member of the victim’s family become earning one, Badal told reporters after the meeting.

Apart from this, around Tk 2.5 lakh will be given so that the family can build a house and Jalal’s disabled son will be brought under an allowance scheme, he said.

Besides, Primes Minister Sheikh Hasina has already directed the authority concerned to find out the cuprites, he said, “so we have called off our strike.”

Meanwhile, transport workers in Chattogram postponed their strike at 12:00 noon until May 4 following a meeting with the deputy commissioner of Chattogram on Wednesday evening, said Abdul Mannan, general secretary of Greater Chattogram Goods Transport Owners' Association.