Indefinite transport strike in Khulna Division goes to second day

Transport workers in 10 districts of Khulna Division are on strike for a second day protesting the life sentence given to a bus driver over road crash that killed filmmaker Tareque Masud and cinematographer Mishuk Munier.

The Khulna divisional administration is set to hold a meeting on Monday with the workers' union

"The divisional commissioner has called a meeting at the Khulna Circuit house in wake of the strike," Transport Workers Federation Regional Committee General Secretary Abdur Rahim Baksh Dudu told bdnews24.com.

The Federation has gone on an indefinite strike from Sunday after a Manikganj court delivered the verdict in the 2011 road crash on Feb 22.

On Aug 13, 2011, a road crash on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Manikganj killed five, including filmmaker Tareque Masud and the then CEO of ATN News Mishuk Munier, a reputed cinematographer.

They were on their way back to Dhaka from Manikganj after visiting a shooting location for the new film.

The three others killed in the crash were the car's driver 'Mustafiz', Tareque's production manager 'Wasim' and staffer 'Jamal'.

Tareque's wife Catherine, painter Dhali Al-Mamun and his wife Dilara Begum Jolly, and Tareque's production assistant Saidul Islam sustained injuries.

The local police started a case against the driver of the 'Deluxe Paribahan' bus and two days later, Jamir Hossain was arrested from Meherpur.

He had then claimed the other vehicle's driver was responsible for the accident.

A probe by the communication ministry found that both drivers have been negligent

“Workers refuse to work with a life sentence hanging over their heads,” Baksh told bdnews24.com on Sunday.