No transport strike ahead of BNP's 10 Dec rally: Owners' association

The Dhaka Road Transport Owners' Association has decided to keep traffic movement normal during BNP's 10 December rally in Dhaka.

"Vehicular movement in Dhaka city, suburbs and on inter-district routes will remain normal," said Dhaka Road Transport Owners' Association General Secretary Khandkar Enayet Ullah after an emergency meeting Thursday (8 December).

However, the bus owners demanded restriction of bus movement arguing that BNP-Jamaat leaders indulged in arson violence during political programmes in the past.

"We have suffered irreparable damage in that movement and we still have to deal with the consequences of that incident," the bus owners said.

They also said they would be guarding every bus terminal in the city to prevent recurrence of any such activities this time.

Bus owners complained that people are scared to use public transport at the moment and they want to halt bus services on 10 December on this ground.

However, Khandaker Enayet Ullah opposed and said vehicles should operate regardless of number of passengers.

"If someone sets the vehicles on fire, they will be beaten to death and the transport owners' association shall take responsibility for it," he added.

Besides, he requested the concerned administration to strengthen the security measures at the important places of the city so that the movement of vehicles is not obstructed on Saturday.

The meeting was attended by about a hundred owners and workers of all transportation in Dhaka, including the labour leaders of Syedabad Bus Terminal, Mohakhali Bus Terminal, Gulistan TBC Road and Fulbaria Bus Terminal.