People walking down the Mayor Hanif flyover at Jatrabari of the city on the way to their offices on Wednesday as vehicles stayed off the roads over the new transport law — FE photo by Shafiqul Alam The impasse over enforcement of the new road transport act continued on Wednesday with goods transportation coming to a halt bus services remaining partially suspended to the woes of commuters and businesses.
Bangladesh Truck Covered-van Goods Transportation Workers and Owners Association enforced the indefinite strike in the country with effect from Wednesday morning demanding an amendment to the Road Transport Act 2018.
In the face of picketing by protesters in different parts of the country, buses also stayed off roads in most districts.
In the capital city, buses' presence was thin due to picketing at different points including Tejgaon, Mohammadpur and Sonir Akhra.
However, vehicular movement from the capital to Chattogram and Sylhet resumed following withdrawal of a blockade on the Dhaka-Narayanganj link road.
Though traffic police were yet to start enforcing the law, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, however, went soft while conducting drives on Wednesday under the law.
To resolve problems centring on the strike, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal sat in a meeting with the goods transport leaders at his home on Wednesday night. The meeting continued until filing the report at 9:30 pm.
FE correspondents from Khulna, Jashore and Rajshahi reported total suspension of goods transportation from ports including Mongla.
Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader at a ruling party programme in Noakhali on Wednesday urged the transport owners and workers not to put common people to sufferings.
Our Khulna correspondent said buses' presence in the city was thin. But he said goods from the Mongla Port, mainly coal, LP gas and cement, were being transported to nearby areas under special protection.
Our Jashore correspondent, however, said exports and imports were suspended due to a halt to the work of loading and unloading at Benapole land port.
More than 500 trucks remained stranded at the Benapole port. Few tempos or human haulers were available in the Jashore town.
FE Rajshahi correspondent said bus movement in the city was normal and trucks remained off the roads due to the countrywide strike.
Dr Rubana Huq, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, expressed hope that the strike by the truck and covered van owners and workers would be over by Wednesday night.
She said one day's disruption causes huge losses to the export sector as they might have to go for costly air shipments and face discounts as asked by the buyers.
"We do shipment of goods worth on an average US$3.0 billion a month. So a single day's disruption due to transportation problems is massive," she told the FE.
BRTA officials said due to receiving different complaints from transport workers and owners, they took the decision to relax imposing fines.
Though seven mobile courts were there at different points of the city, magistrates filed only 33 cases and charged Tk 38,000. The same courts, during the last two days, filed cases more than double the number of cases on Wednesday.
"We have to consider both sides. It is true that most transport workers do not have valid documents and licences but we also are not able to provide those in time," said the official preferring not to be named.
Our Correspondent from Chattogram adds: The indefinite strike of Prime Mover Trailer Lorries and trucks was hampering the transportation of goods from Chattogram to other districts. Thousands of Prime Movers, Trailer, Lorries and trucks remained idle at Chattogram port's adjoining areas including Nimtola, Kadamtoli, Madarbari and terminals.
But the delivery of cargoes and containers at the jetties of Chattogram port was normal as the schedule was fixed before calling the strike.
Carrying of cargoes and containers is likely to be stopped from the port. The importers and exporters are very concerned over the situation. Particularly, the RMG sector might be a loser if the carrying of cargoes and containers from the port remained stopped.
Abu Bakkar Siddik, president of Prime Mover Owners Association, said the delivery of cargoes and containers at the jetties of the port was normal today.
Monir Ahamed, president of Covered Van and Truck Owners Association in Chattogram, confirmed that all trucks and covered vans were not moving on the road. He said, "Protesting the new road transport law, the workers and we are observing strike now."
Mahabubul Alam, president of Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) said, "We are fully against the strike. The owners and drivers and workers of Prime Mover Trailer Lorries and trucks cannot go on strike by holding the exporters and importers hostage. I am protesting the strike and called upon all to solve the crisis through discussion."
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