SYLHET, Apr 6: As an Indefinite strike has been started since this morning vehicles of all types remained off the Sylhet-Salutikor-Companiganj-Bholaganj road and on the Sylhet-Gowainghat road to press for immediate repair of the important roads.
The transport workers and traders also took to the streets on different points since this morning and put barricade there. The agitators alleged the officials took no step as yet to start works on the 4430 million taka project, which was formally inaugurated through video conference by the prime minister on 21 January.
If the demands were not met immediately larger agitation would be announced from the gathering of 8 April, the strikers said. They are set to the gherao of the DC office and the R & H office on 8 April, the organizers informed.
Sylhet Zila Covered Van Sromik Union, Covered Van Malik Samity, Zila Truck-Van Malik Group and 9 other associations of traders and transport men announced it from a joint meeting Sunday night.
People have been suffering extreme due to the worn out condition of the much talked about Sylhet-Companiganj-Bholaganj road, which plays huge in transporting stones and sand from the country's biggest stone quarry at Bholaganj on the Meghalayan border.
In addition to passenger bus, autorickshaw, tempo, minitruck, van, covered van etc, over 2000 trucks ply on the road to transport stones to all over the country everyday, they said, but the Roads & Highways department has been playing the role of silent spectators for unknown reasons.
On occasions we had handed over memo to the Roads and bridges minister, finance minister, state minister for finance & planning and other opfficials but there had been no positive initiative as yet, the strikers alleged. Different organisations staged human chain, rallies etc to press the demand during the last 2 years.
Visiting the pitiable condition of the road on May 14 of 2014 the bridges minister Obaidul Kader assured starting major development of the road.
Asked Additional Chief engineer of R & H Sylhet zone Iftekhar Kabir told this correspondent today we are trying our best to start the works soon. But, the costly project is just awaiting approval from the cabinet's purchase committee.
Plying of overloaded stone laden trucks is the main reason for worsening the road condition.
The trucks on the road carry more than 30 to 40 tons against 20 tons capacity, he said, this is why setting load control device is a must, he added. Â
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Indefinite transport strike begins on Sylhet roads
iqbal1527@hotmail.com | Published: April 07, 2016 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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