Commuters suffer for indefinite bus strike in Kushtia, Khulna, Faridpur routes

An indefinite strike on Friday (7 April) halted bus communication from Kushtia to Khulna and Faridpur causing immense suffering to commuters in the region.

Kushtia District Bus Owners and Workers Solidarity Council have enforced the strike since Friday morning protesting the attack on some transport staff by the Jhenaidah workers union on the night of  5 April.

Mokbul Hossain Lavlu, general secretary of Kushtia Bus Minibus Owners' Association, said there had long been a dispute with the Jhenaidah workers union over bus trips to Faridpur from Kushtia.

Some staff of Kushtia's Gorai Paribahan was beaten up by the workers union over the demand for more trips to Faridpur, he alleged.

Protesting the attack, the wildcat strike was called on the two routes-Kushtia-Khulna and Kushtia-Faridpur, he said.

The transport leader threatened that a countrywide strike will be called unless the attackers are arrested by 9 April.

On the other hand, commuters have been facing severe suffering caused by the sudden strike in the three districts.

Bus passengers were seen waiting for hours at the Kushtia's Majampur bus depot and a bus terminal in the Chudhas area.

Commuter Sheikh Alam Hossain said he and his family members were stranded at a ticket counter as no bus was leaving for Khulna from Kushtia due to the strike.

Like him, many were seen waiting for buses for hours but no one knows when the strike will end.