People continued to suffer as the countrywide transport strike demanding amendments to the recently passed Road Transport Act entered second day on Monday (Oct 29). In the capital, there was no public transport on the roads like the previous day. Transport workers also took position at several points in the capital and obstructing movement of vehicles, local media reports said.
CNG-run auto-rickshaws, private vehicles, rickshaws, were seen plying roads with a large number of commuters waiting on roads for transport to reach their destinations.
The number of government-run Bangladesh Road Transport Commission bus service is also very negligible. No inter-district buses left Gabtoli, Mohakhali or Sayedabad terminals in the morning.
News correspondents from different districts reported that no long-route buses left their respective bus stands following the strike.
The demands of the transport workers include making all the offences by road accident 'bailable', cancellation of the provision of fining Tk 5 lakh for involvement in a road accident, keeping a representative from their federation in any probe body formed for road accident, fixing minimum educational qualification for getting driving licence to class V, and stopping police harassment on roads.
Earlier on Oct 12, the workers' association decided to stage demonstrations by going on a two-day work abstention from Oct 28 to press home their eight-point demand that included amendments to the Road Transport Act, if their demands are not met by Oct 27.
