Buses yet to resume services in several districts
Local and long-haul services have not resumed in the southern districts as workers continued the strike on Thursday
After a meeting with the home minister on Wednesday night, transportation unions announced that they will postpone their strike. But long-haul buses and trucks in several districts are yet to resume services.
Bus and truck services to and from southern districts including Khulna, Jashore, Satkhira, Narail, Chuadanga, Meherpur and Jhenaidah have not yet returned to normal. However, traffic in Rajshahi, Bagura and Kusthia was normal on Thursday.
The transportation workers' strike in Jashore and Khulna rolled into the fourth straight day on Thursday. Most ticket counters of long-haul bus terminals in Khulna's Sonadanga, Royal and Shibbari intersections were closed.
People, mostly Dhaka-bound passengers, queued up at the points on Thursday morning, but were disappointed to find that long-haul bus services were still suspended in the southern district.
However, trucks resumed services after a 24-hour strike both in Jashore and in Khulna.
The general secretary of the Khulna Motor Workers Union, Jakir Hossain Biplab, said local transportation union leaders went to the capital on Wednesday night.
"We are waiting for instructions from the leaders. They will brief us about the home minister's assurances," he added.
Meanwhile, Bagura Motor Workers Union General Secretary Sheikh Helal said they have not given any instructions to the drivers and helpers.
"Traffic was comparatively light on the first day of the strike. Some people did not take out their vehicles over concern about the imposition of the new traffic law," he added.
Traffic in and through the district began increasing from Thursday morning.
Traffic was the same in Rajshahi as it was in Bagura on Thursday. However, southbound buses from the district town have not resumed services yet.
Mahtab Hosen of the Rajshahi transportation union told The Business Standard that southbound services were suspended because agitated workers were not letting buses return from the districts.
In the meantime, transportation of goods from Benapole border point resumed after 24 hours on Thursday after trucks and covered vans resumed services. Acting director of the land port, Abdul Jalil, said about 500 trucks loaded and unloaded goods at Benapole on Thursday.