Transport strike in Mymensingh called off

The Uttarancholiyo Malik-Sramik Oikyo Parishad (transport owners and workers association of Northern region) called off the transport strike today at 10.30am following the assurance from the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry.

The decision came after the ministry on Sunday assured the transport owners of the region of repairing potholes and broken roads on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.

As per the previous decision, mass transports from Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Sherpur and Netrokona districts to Dhaka will not ply from Sunday for an indefinite period.

The Mymensingh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Mymensingh Zilla Motor Malik Samity formed the association under the banner of Uttarancholiyo Malik-Sramik Oikyo Parishad.

They held a press conference on 2 January where they set an ultimatum until 15 January to solve the issues and end the suffering of the people. 

The strike was called citing that authorities concerned did not take any step to solve the problems, including the demands for repairing the Gazipur-Dhaka Road among others

Mymensingh Zilla Paribahan Motor Malik Samity Secretary General Mahbubur Rahman told The Business Standard that it takes only one hour or so to reach Gazipur from Mymensingh. But the duration becomes three to five hours causing passenger's sufferings from Gazipur to Mohakhali.

"The work of the expressway is progressing at a snail's pace while the road is severely dilapidated, causing much misery to the passengers and the vehicles are also getting damaged," he said.  

The association said that they called for a blockade demanding solutions to the sufferings from Salna of Gazipur up to Tongi, part of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, hampering traffic movement and causing a rise in transportation costs.