Sylhet transport workers to go on indefinite strike from Wednesday

Transport workers in Sylhet have called for an indefinite strike on Wednesday (12 July), after calling a strike on the Sylhet-Tamabil regional highway, demanding arrest of people involved in hindering movement of buses.

The strike, enforced by Sylhet District Road Transport Workers Union protesting locals' resistance following Friday's tragic accident that killed five people, resulted in a halt of traffic movement, causing immense suffering for passengers.

Also read: Transport workers go on strike on Sylhet-Tamabil road

The leaders of the organisation have said all vehicular movement, including buses and minibuses, will be halted for an indefinite period from 6:00am to press home their demand for uninterrupted bus movement on the Sylhet-Tamabil highway and the arrest of Kamal Ahmed, Jaintapur upazila chairman.

President of Sylhet District Bus-Minibus Workers Union Moinul Islam said, "We have been on strike on the highway for the last two days. But as our demands were not met, an indefinite strike was announced for transport workers across Sylhet from Wednesday. All the transport organisations have united with our movement. So, no vehicle will run on any road in Sylhet."

On Friday night, five people were killed and two others injured as a bus smashed into a battery-run three-wheeler on the road at the Darbast area under the Jaintiapur upazila.

The protesters also demanded unskilled and unlicensed bus drivers be laid off and unfit vehicles be stopped on the highway.