Now all-out strike in Barishal ahead of BNP rally

Summary:

• Several thousands of leaders and activists already reached the meeting venue
• Different bodies show different causes for the strikes being enforced at the same time
• Commuters suffer most with sudden closure of transport services
• Despite strikes, BNP expect an overflowing number of participants

After transport and three-wheelers, now owners of speedboats, rental cars and launches have announced strike ahead of the BNP's divisional rally for Saturday – practically severing all communication with the district.

Similar strikes were enforced ahead of the BNP's recent Mymensingh, Khulna and Rangpur mass gatherings also.

BNP leaders have repeatedly said the government has been forcing the transport bodies to go for such strikes so that the BNP rallies cannot be a success. 

"The ruling party has left no stone unturned to thwart our divisional rallies. They now look more desperate in Barishal than any other division," Bilkis Akhtar Jahan, organising secretary of BNP, said while addressing a programme in the capital on Thursday.

"Bus, three-wheeler and speedboat services have been halted. Searching at hotels, showing muscle power on streets, and threatening and beatings up our activists – all are going in parallel."

"But nothing can stop the mass gathering in Barisal. Our people will come on foot, bicycles and so on if needed," she added.

Different bodies called strikes showing different causes or even without any reason. However, their strike days are almost the same – the BNP rally day (5 November) and one or two days before.

For example, the Barishal District Bus Owners Group late last month called a two-day strike on 4-5 November demanding local passenger vehicles and other three-wheelers be kept off the highway, while speedboat operators on the Barishal-Bhola route went on strike for three days – from 3 November to 5 November –without showing any reason. 

Tarek Shah, line in charge of the speedboat ghat in Barishal, told The Business Standard that speedboat services will remain suspended until Saturday. However, he could not specify the reasons behind the strike.

"We called the strike to protest the movement of three-wheelers on highways as they account for a good number of accidents," said Kawser Hossain Shipon, secretary general of the Barishal Bus Owners Association.

The Private car and microbus Samity of Barishal City stopped their services with a sudden decision on Thursday afternoon and so does the Launch Owners Association. Even, three-wheeler owners announced a two-day strike saying that they might be abused on roads amid massive strikes. 

"We won't operate private cars and microbuses for the next two days. It's all about our issues." Syeed Nuruzzaman, vice president of the Rented Car Association in Barishal, told TBS.

"The local launch services have been stopped in protest to the attack on the launch of MV Awolad when it was in Bhola yesterday [Wednesday]," said Abdul Jalil, a launch staffer at the Barishal launch ghat.

"This sudden strike has made commuter lives very difficult," said Shafiqul Islam, a regular passenger of the route. Talking to The Business Standard, several speedboat drivers who wished to remain unnamed said the strike has been called centring the BNP meeting so that people can't join there more.

In the meantime, several thousands of BNP leaders, who were seen at the meeting venue of Bangabandhu Udyan or Bells Park on Thursday, said they came to Barishal from different districts two days ago.  

"Some of our leaders and activists will come by trawlers and different engine boats at night. A group will also come on foot," Monirul Islam Nupur, Jhalakathi BNP secretary general, said while talking to The Business Standard on Thursday.

"Many have been staying in Barishal with the arrangement of local hosts. We also have a food arrangement for some ten thousand," he added.

"Our posters have been torn at the different places in the city," said former Barishal city Chatradal leader Tarikul Islam.

"Nothing can stop the people coming towards the meeting. The meeting place is going to be flooded soon. We have arranged everything to keep the leaders and people safe," Kamruzzaman Khokon, convener of the Barishal city unit of BNP, told TBS.

"We have taken the highest measures to control the law and order in the city during the meeting. We expect the meeting will be completed peacefully. At the same time, we will keep sharp eyes on the highways so that none can make any unlawful activities there," said Azimul Haque, officer in Charge of Kotwali police station of Barishal Metropolitan Police (BMP).

Three-wheeler drivers oppose strike

In a joint statement on Friday, organisers of the battery-powered rickshaw, van, easybike drivers Sangram Parishad of Barishal, Dulal Mallik and Manik Howlader demanded an end to labour harassment in the name of battery-powered three-wheeler strike on 4 and 5 November in Barishal. 

The leaders of the committee stated that the battery-powered rickshaw, van, easybike drivers have been demanding separate lanes for three-wheelers on the highways along with licensing of battery-powered three-wheelers from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) across the country including Barisal. 

They further noted that in the 10 long years of struggle, the owners association or so-called welfare organisations could not be found. 

On the contrary, last May they misled the workers by holding a mock rally about giving licences to autorickshaws. 

All these welfare societies have extortion cases in their names which have already been proven through investigation, added 

They demanded the administration's immediate intervention to stop terrorism and labour harassment in the name of strike.