Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) workers and drivers at Joar Sahara depot resumed bus services on Wednesday afternoon after a daylong strike upon an assurance by the authorities that their arrears will be cleared fully.
Sources said the BRTC chairman and directors from the Dhaka headquarters held several meetings with the aggrieved staffers on Tuesday at Joar Sahara and made them agree to withdraw the strike.
The BRTC employees enforced the strike for the second time on Tuesday demanding payment of their nine months' arrears.
Official sources said the arrears have been due in almost all depots since the latest government payroll was announced in the fiscal year 2015-16 increasing the state-owned bus operator's salary expenditure to double.
The sources added BRTC has turned into a loss-making entity as its earning and fleets have not been increased since 2013.
Depot manager Nur-E-Alom told the FE that arrears at Joar Sahara depot are highest among all depots as its expenditure has been doubled since new pay scale came into effect without increase in the income and number of buses.
BRTC suffered income deficit two years after its fleet increased to 1400 during 2010-2011.
The corporation increased its fleet with purchase of more than 900 buses from China, India and Korea.
Replying to a question why strike was called twice at Joar Sahara though the situation at 19 other depots remains same, BRTC Chairman Farid Ahmed Bhuiyan said they are looking into the reasons through forming a committee.
The problem of arrears at the depots is expected to go after joining of 1100 buses and trucks in the BRTC fleet in the next couples of months, he added.
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