Prime movers withdraw strikes after conditional acceptance of demands

The prime movers that freight cargo to and from Chittagong port have finally withdrawn their strike after conditional acceptance of their demands by the authorities.

The government has made it mandatory for truck operators to remove the bumpers and angles from their vehicles by Nov 30.

The prime movers have been asked to install a fifth axle to their vehicles within next six months when the government can consider upping the maximum weight limit in highways.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader briefed journalists about the government decision after a meeting at the Secretariat on Thursday.

The inter-ministerial meeting was held to discuss the issue of load limits on roads and expressways.

After the meeting the minister also revealed the government decided to allow the container carrying Prime movers to install an extra axle so that an upper load ceiling of 42 tonnes can be accepted.

He also made it clear that there was no legal bar on a four-axle prime vehicle towing a maximum of 32 tons of load.

Prime movers' owners and drivers had decided to go for a strike on Sep 26. They postponed their strike after five days following a discussion with the local authorities in Chittagong.

They alleged that a government notification imposing a 33-tonne upper limit on maximum permissible weight had exposed them to harassment at weigh bridges.

On Sep 30, Prime Mover Owners-Workers Union postponed their strike after receiving assurances from the Chittagong Metropolitan Police commissioner.

On Thursday after receiving assurances from the government at a meeting in Dhaka they finally decided to withdraw their strike.