Students in Chattogram suffer because of transport strike

The second day of the country-wide transport strike has caused hardships to passengers, especially garment workers and students in the port city.

Rickshaws and auto-rickshaws were heard demanding double the fare due to the strike.

The fare hike and unavailability of transport are causing a great hassle to the school and college-going students since morning. 

Samim Ara, a second-year honours student of Mohsin College expressed her concerns to TBS, "My exam will start at 1:30pm and it is 11am already. Yet, I have not found any bus or auto-rickshaw to reach the examination centre in the Agrabad area."

At the Tiger-pass area this afternoon, some 'transport labours' – who are basically youth from slum areas – blocked the road and stopped all motorcycles, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, and private cars. 

M Nizamuddin, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station said, the police are patrolling the area and requested all not to stage any demonstrations.

The situation is under control and all passenger bus, heavy transports remain suspended, said the OC.

Meanwhile, the government increased the prices of diesel and kerosene by Tk15 due to the continuing rally of fuel prices in the global market on Wednesday night. 

Customers have to pay Tk80 per litre of diesel or kerosene from Thursday, said a press release of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.

Public and goods transport owners of the country called for a nationwide strike starting Friday morning in protest against the latest price hike of diesel and kerosene.