Rajshahi bus operators Sunday afternoon suspended intra- and inter-district bus communications after human hauler operators vandalised a number of buses at noon.
Local sources said that over previous enmity drivers of human hauler at noon damaged at least 10 buses in front Rajshahi bus terminal.
On Saturday morning also, the human haulers had vandalised four buses. In retaliation, the bus drivers damaged at least three human haulers on the day, triggering a clash between the human hauler derivers and bus workers, which left 10 people injured.
In protest at the incident, owners and motor workers’ union enforced strike in the afternoon but they called it off at night.
But Sunday noon again human hauler drivers damaged at least 10 buses in front of the Rajshahi bus terminal.
The bus workers and owners called for transport strike at 2:30pm, demanding security for the bus workers.
They also demanded a ban on risky vehicles like CNG and auto-rickshaw on the highway and vowed to continue their strike until their demand was not met.
While contacted, Mahtab Uddin, general secretary of the Rajshahi motor workers’ union, said none from the administration contacted them for solution to the crisis.
Blaming human hauler, locally known as ‘Bhutbhuti’, for most of the traffic accidents, he said the strike would continue until movement of such vehicles was stopped on the highways.
Kamal Hossain Robi, president of Rajshahi motor workers’ union, told New Age that they would continue the strike demanding ban on auto-rickshaw, human hauler and tempo.
Meanwhile, people were suffering as the bus workers enforced the strike without any previous announcement.
When contacted, Monjur Rahman Pitar, general secretary of Bus Owners’ Association of Rajshahi, told New Age, ‘We know the commuters are suffering because of the strike. But our life and wealth are at risk because of the human haulers.’
He also said they would meet the deputy commissioner and the police super and if the authorities would assure them of action against the human haulers, they would call off the strike.