Truck, covered van owners postpone strike

Owners of trucks, covered vans and freight transports have postponed their strike following an assurance to withdraw toll on two bridges and raise the fares.

The decision came following a meeting between Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and leaders of Bangladesh Truck, Covered Van, Tank Lorry, Prime Mover Owners and Workers Coordination Council on Monday.

Mokbul Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Covered-Van Truck Prime Mover Goods Transport Owners Association, confirmed the news to The Business Standard.

"We have postponed the strike for the time being. In the next two-three days, we will sit down with BGMEA and BKMEA to fix the fare," said Mokbul.

Regarding the demand to withdraw the increased toll of Bangabandhu and Muktarpur bridges, he said, "We have been told in the meeting that no additional toll will be levied."

The rates of additional fares will be fixed in discussion with the leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) as the apparel bodies are the prime users of the freight transport.

Owners of the goods transport sector went into an indefinite strike to press home their three demands. The demands were: withdrawal of the decision to increase price of fuel, withdrawal of increased toll on Bangabandhu and Muktarpur bridges, and stop collecting tolls from goods laden vehicles in city corporations and municipalities.

Among others, Senior Secretary of Energy and Mineral Resources Division Anisur Rahman and Chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Nur Mohammad Mazumder were present at the meeting.