Commuters suffer as transport strike hits 5 districts ahead of BNP’s Faridpur rally

Regular commuters and tourists alike faced severe suffering as a strike enforced by transport workers and owners halted bus services between the capital city and five southern districts ahead of the BNP's rally in Faridpur today.

The transport strike, which went into effect at 6am Friday in Barishal, Patuakhali, Pirojpur, Barguna and Jhalkati, also dealt a blow to the tourist spot Kuakata amid the peak tourist season, reports UNB. 

Transportation between Barishal and Dhaka got disrupted for the second time within a span of one week centring the BNP rallies. The region was under a two-day strike ahead of the BNP's divisional rally on 5 November.

Commuters were forced to go back from Barishal bus terminal yesterday as the strike came without any previous announcement.

Golam Mashrek Bablu, president of Barishal Bus Owners Group, said that workers and owners of the greater Faridpur bus association called for a 38-hour strike from Friday morning to Saturday night.

"Faridpur's bus owners and workers will not allow operation of buses coming from the southern districts  to cross Bhanga Intersection due to the strike", he said, adding that they were forced to take the decision to stop the bus service.

Md Firoz, bus driver of Hilsha Paribahan, said the bus communication between Barishal and Dhaka will remain suspended on Friday and Saturday.

Faridpur district bus workers and owners went on a 38-hour strike Friday morning amid BNP's allegation that it was planned to thwart their rally, causing suffering to commuters.