Bhola bus workers go on indefinite strike

Commuters are bearing the brunt of a wildcat indefinite strike enforced by bus workers in protest against attacks on them allegedly by CNG-run autorickshaw drivers over occupying a terminal in Bhola.

The bus service on all routes of the district remained suspended since Wednesday morning, forcing commuters to take alternative transports to reach their destinations by counting additional fares. 

Witnesses said no buses from Birshreshtha Mostafa Kamal Bus Terminal in the district headquarters left for their destinations since morning, reports UNB.

At 11:00 am, miscreants vandalised and torched five battery and CNG-run autorickshaws while these were running in the bus terminal area, resulting in clashes between the workers from both sides that left several people injured.

Later, police brought the situation under control, and additional forces were deployed to ward off any unwanted incidents further. 

Bhola Zila Bus Owners Association reportedly took the lease of the bus terminal from the municipal, but later the municipal authorities asked the association to spare it to the CNG drivers, who allegedly assaulted the bus workers at the terminal on Tuesday evening, leaving five people injured. 

Besides, several buses were vandalised and set on fire. 

Protesting the attack, the association enforced the wildcat strike starting Wednesday morning. 
Hasan Mahmud, organising secretary to the CNG Owners Association, alleged that two to three buses entered the CNG station and eight autorickshaws were torched on Tuesday night. 

Refuting the allegations of attacks by the CNG drivers, he claimed that the bus workers vandalised their vehicles and threw brickbats targeting the CNG drivers, leaving eight people injured. 

Additional Superintendent of Police Ripon Chandra Sarkar said they were trying to hold meetings with both parties to address the issue, though no one lodged complaints.