Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar bus services resume after strike over ticket counter closure

Bus operators have resumed services on Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar route after daylong sufferings of passengers due to a strike following closure of ticket counters in the port city.

The transporters halted the strike on Sunday afternoon following the authorities’ assurance of steps on the closure of the counters at a meeting with Chattogram Road Transport Owners’ Association.

Officials at Bakalia Police Station misbehaved with the association’s leaders who called the law enforcers to take steps about the closure of the counters of Hanif Paribahan and Hanif Limited, Golam Rasul Babul, a joint secretary general of the association, alleged.

“We decided to halt services in the morning in protest against the rough behaviour in place of actions on the closure of the counters,” he said.

Owners halted bus service on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway after the Hanif Paribahan coutner at Chattogram’s Shah Amanat Bridge area was locked, causing suffering to commuters. The photo was taken in the Shah Amanat Bridge area on Sunday. Photo: Suman Babu

They halted the strike on 19 routes in south of Chattogram division after a meeting with the authorities at 6pm, he added.

Passengers’ sufferings, which started on Saturday after a group of young men vandalised the counter of Hanif Enterprise at Damparha, reached the peak on Sunday.

The transporters halted the services after the young men also locked the Hanif Paribahan and Hanif Super counters near the Shah Amanat Bridge.

The attack on the Hanif Enterprise counter followed the Aug 21, 2004 grenade attack verdict sentencing its owner Mohammad Hanif and 18 others to death on Oct 10.