48-hour transport strike begins in greater Ctg today

CHITTAGONG, Oct 28: A 48-hour strike called by transport owners and workers to press home their 5-point demand begins in greater Chittagong from today (Sunday).

Panya Paribahan Malik-Sramik Oikya Parishad announced the programme at a press conference held in the city on Friday.

During the strike, all types of goods vehicles including trucks, prime movers, covered vans and tank lorries will remain off the roads and highways, parishad leaders said.

They said the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) has hiked road use tax which is not acceptable to them. Besides, they have demanded issuance of driving licences under heavy vehicle category, building separate terminals for heavy trucks or prime movers and customs duty on imported vehicle parts.

Member secretary of oikya parishad Abu Bakkar Siddiqui said the CCC has set road use tax at Tk 10,000 for each vehicle which was Tk 500 during the tenure of the past mayor.

Under new overload charge, to be enforced from November 01, transport owners will have to pay Tk 3,000-Tk 12,000 while the charge was Tk 2,000 earlier.

Mr Siddiqui said these charges are not only 'unreasonable but also oppressive'. These charges will have negative impacts on end users because they will put burden on the common people as the prices of commodities will go up, he added.

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