Truckers halt strike until October 31
FE Report | Wednesday, 10 October 2018
Truck owners and workers postponed their strike until October 31, following assurance from Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan of meeting their demands on Tuesday.
Following a meeting at secretariat office, the minister said the government has immediately fulfilled the truckers' two demands, preventing 'baseless' harassment of police and filing lawsuits against them.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Javed Patwary and other high officials were present in the meeting.
The minister also said he discussed the matter with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina along with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
The truckers had been observing work abstention since Sunday to press home their seven demands, including amendment to some sections of Road Transport Act 2018. The parliament enacted the act on September 19.
The home minister told the reporters that he listened to the objections of the owners and workers regarding the law.
"We will formally discuss these issues with the road transport minister and the law minister soon," he added.
Bangladesh Truck Covered Van Drivers' Union president Talukdar Md Monir said they postponed the strike until October 31, as the home minister assured them of discussing their issues with other ministers concerned.
The truckers' demands include stopping police harassment and frequent checking on the highways, setting up truck terminals and stands with resting and dining facilities at suitable spots adjacent to the highways, halting overloading of trucks, and returning driving licence to drivers without imposing fines.
They also demanded that licence to drive heavy vehicles should be issued to all drivers of heavy vehicles, and they should be allowed to drive trucks with light vehicle driving licence until they get licence to drive heavy vehicles.