Transport workers stop private vehicles in Chittagong

Transport workers striking in protest of the convictions of two drivers have started to stop private cars in the streets of Chittagong.

Transport workers could be seen at many high-traffic intersections of the city on Wednesday, from Bahaddarhat to Agrabad, and many were seen stopping private cars.

Though autorickshaws had been active on the first day of the nationwide strike on Tuesday, far fewer were seen on the second. Only rickshaws and motorcycles seemed to move freely.

Transport workers were stopping autorickshaws and private cars at the Andarkilla intersection at 9am.

At the Kadamtali Bus Stand , all buses seemed grounded. Transport workers were also turning away private cars. Broken glass from cars could be seen in many places.

Garment factory workers said they have been unable to go to work because buses were not running.

“I work at a factory in the Oxygen area,” said Kushumbagh area resident Taslima Begum. “I was waiting at the GEC intersection from 7am to 9am. But no bus came to take me to work. Now I’m on my way home.”

Hundreds of garment workers headed for the Chittagong Export Processing Zone had also been waiting at the Badamtali intersection since 7am. But, as no buses came to pick them up, they have taken to obstructing the road. Locals joined them soon after.

Tensions were rising between the transport workers and the locals who had taken to the streets.

Garment worker Mosammat Shathi joined the obstruction. She said she had left the EPZ around 4pm on a bus. Midway along the route transport workers stopped the bus and forced the driver to disembark.

“We had to walk,” she said. “I arrived at home around 10pm. Now, in the morning, there is no transport. I cannot go to work. They will cut my pay if I don’t go.”

The garment workers had obstructed the road in protest of the strike, said Double Mooring Police Station OC AKM Mohiuddin. The situation was explained to them and the obstruction was cleared, he said.

Police were making arrangements to ensure that those workers who were unable to go were granted a vacation day, the OC said.

Transport workers were seen occupying  the Dewanhat intersection around 10:30am. They halted all traffic other than rickshaws. An autorickshaw carrying airline passengers was attacked and vandalised.

Shuttle bus service was also stopped  at the Baddarhat Bus Terminal. Transport workers were seen throwing brickbats at travellers on the road around 11am.

“There are many workers,” Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation Eastern Region Acting President Mrinal Chowdhury told bdnews24.com. “It is not possible to control them all.”

Asked about incidents where workers were halting traffic and private cars, the official said he ‘had not heard any reports’ but would ‘investigate the matter’.