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Bus and truck services on all routes in Chapainawabganj have been suspended following a dispute between two transport workers’ organizations over extortion and the assault of a worker.
The disruption began Thursday morning when members of one of the workers’ organizations went on strike.
Police and transport workers said a long-standing dispute has existed between the Chapainawabganj District Motor Workers’ Union and the District Truck, Tank Lorry and Covered Van Workers’ Union over the collection of contributions from buses operating from Chapainawabganj for workers’ welfare. As part of the dispute, members of the Motor Workers’ Union allegedly assaulted a bus worker on Tuesday.
Leaders of the two workers’ organizations held a meeting under police supervision on Wednesday night to resolve the issue. However, no agreement was reached. As a result, members of the Truck, Tank Lorry and Covered Van Workers’ Union began a work stoppage Thursday morning, bringing bus and truck services on all routes in the district to a halt.
From the morning, members of the union also staged pickets at various points across the city and obstructed the movement of vehicles.
Saidur Rahman, president of the District Truck, Tank Lorry and Covered Van Workers’ Union, said an organization called the “Chapainawabganj District Motor Workers’ Union” had long been stopping buses on the roads and illegally collecting money from them.
He said the workers were observing the strike in protest against the practice.
However, Abdur Rouf Julmot, general secretary of the District Motor Workers’ Union, said his organization was collecting contributions from buses in accordance with the rules.
He alleged that members of the District Truck, Tank Lorry and Covered Van Workers’ Union were also collecting money from buses in addition to trucks, tank lorries and covered vans, although the organization had no authorization to collect contributions from buses.
The two organizations have held six meetings over the issue, but no solution has been reached.
Chapainawabganj Additional Superintendent of Police Ekramul Haque said police held a meeting with representatives of both sides on Wednesday night in an effort to resolve the dispute. “After discussions lasting more than an hour, it was not possible to reach a settlement because both sides remained firm in their positions,” he said.
He added, “Although no agreement was reached at the meeting, both workers’ organizations were instructed that no form of extortion would be allowed on the roads.”