A 48-hour transport strike initiated by the Brihattor Chattogram Ganaparibahan Malik Sramik Oikkyo Parishad began this morning, significantly disrupting daily life in the port city amidst a severe heatwave.
The strike, which affects buses, minibuses, human haulers, autorickshaws, and other three-wheelers, has led to considerable difficulties for commuters across the city.
From early in the morning, commuters, including office workers, students, and senior citizens, were seen waiting for long periods at several points in the port city due to the scarcity of mass transportation. The streets showed a markedly decreased traffic flow, with most vehicles off the roads in response to the strike call.
Transport workers said no long-distance buses departed from Chattogram.
Md Musa, the member secretary of the transport body, stated that the movement of buses and three-wheeler vehicles has been suspended since 6 am. Buses from other parts of the country are also prohibited from entering Chattogram during the strike period.
The strike was called following an incident where students of the Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) reportedly set buses on fire in protest after two of their peers were killed in a road accident.
The students, Shanto Saha and Tawfiq Hasan, both from the Civil Engineering department, died when a bus hit their motorbike on the Chattogram-Kaptai road on 22 April.
In retaliation, some CUET students vandalized three buses and set another on fire. The protests escalated over the following days, leading to the university's closure and the postponement of academic activities.
The transport workers' strike is a protest against the damage inflicted on their vehicles and calls for compensation for the burnt buses, along with the arrest of the accused students. The strike encompasses Chattogram city, district, Cox’s Bazar, and three hilly districts.
It aims to press home a four-point demand, emphasizing the need for justice and reparations from the damages incurred during the student protests.
Despite the widespread disruption, the strike organizers say that emergency vehicles, including ambulances, will not be affected by the strike. The transport strike is scheduled to conclude at 6am on Tuesday.
The CUET administration attempted to quell the unrest by meeting with the protesting students, who assured them they would halt their demonstrations and return to academic activities. However, following an emergency syndicate committee meeting on 26 April, CUET authorities decided to keep the campus closed until 9 May.
