Transport strike in Sylhet from tomorrow

Sylhet Zila Sarak Paribahan Malik-Sramik Oikya Parishad announced the strike at a press conference at Sylhet Press Club yesterday afternoon. However, some rival organisations have opposed the strike call.

Maulana Lokman Ahmed, secretary general of Sylhet Zila Sarak Paribahan Malik Group, read out a written statement at the press conference attended by leaders of five other organisations.

Their demands include establishment of a truck terminal at a suitable place, development of two central bus terminals, removal of irregularities in toll collection on different bridges of Roads & Highways Department and steps to stop movement of unauthorised trucks and buses.

The transport leaders alleged that they had deferred the strike several times in the last one and a half months at the request of district administration officials who assured them of arranging a coordination meeting to solve the problems.

But the administration had been dillydallying on the issue for reasons unknown, they said.

Meanwhile, officials of 11 other organisations led by Sylhet Zila Sarak Paribahan Malik Samity in a joint statement yesterday termed the 'strike call' a conspiracy against the transport owners and workers.

They called upon all not to respond to the strike call. Md Saiful Islam and Haji Zamir Ahmed, president and general secretary of the Samity, and leaders of other organisations signed the joint statement.