Transport workers brought out processions in different bus terminals of the capital to press home their three-point demand including resumption of public transport maintaining health protocols.
They held meetings at the capital’s Sayedabad, Fulbaria, Gabtoli and Mohakhali bus terminals on Sunday. Later, they brought out protest processions carrying banners and festoons.
Abbas Ali, President of Dhaka District Workers Federation in a brief speech at the protest rally said, “The lives and livelihoods of about 50,000 transport workers are in uncertainty due to the closure of public transport in the lockdown. Transport workers did not receive any government assistance. In view of the lives and livelihoods of so many people, the government should allow resumption of public transports maintaining hygiene rules”.
“Transportation staff who do not follow the hygiene rules will be fined and punished. Let our three-point demand be accepted. If the demand is not met, we will be holding sit-in program in front of Dhaka District Council on the next four days,” he added.
The three-point demand of the transport workers include allowing goods-laden transports and vessels operation with half of the passengers in compliance with the hygienic rules, providing financial assistance and food aid to the road transport workers and selling OMS rice at Tk 10 for transport workers at bus and truck terminals across the country.
A total of 249 transport workers’ unions across the country, including the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation, carried out the agitation. In addition, transport workers are scheduled to hold sit-in in front of the deputy commissioner’s office across the country on Tuesday (May 4th).
