Tens of thousands suffer as Sylhet transport operators go on strike

Sylhet Division's road communications with the rest of Bangladesh have been cut off as transport owners and workers are trying to enforce an indefinite strike causing immense sufferings to the commuters and forcing their schedules to go haywire.

They are pressing for a five-point charter of demand including repairing the rundown roads in Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Habiganj and Sunamganj districts.

Convenor of an organisation of transport owners and workers in Sylhet, Md Jamir Ahmed said they had stopped operating long-haul buses from the Division since Sunday morning.

Trucks transporting goods and intra-city transports have been uninterrupted.

But the strike has mostly affected commuters who are facing uncertainties about reaching their destinations.

Faiaz Bin Alam, a student from Dhaka, came to visit the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet. He learnt of the strike on Sunday morning.

"I'm worried," he said. "I don't know how I'll go back."

Sylhet's Superintendent of Police Nur-e-Alam Mina said police had been deployed at key points and that no untoward incident was reported until evening.

The protesters alleged the district administration had assured them of addressing their demands within 72 hours on Sept 14.

But nothing had been done until Saturday.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Nurul Haque has urged them to call off their agitation and asked them to sit for talks on Oct 21 as the deputy commissioner was out of Sylhet.

But the agitators say their indefinite strike would continue until their demands are met.