Barishal Correspondent :
Due to the suspension of long-distance bus service from Barishal Nathullabad central bus terminal to Dhaka and other parts of the country, the passengers have suffered endlessly. From Saturday night to Sunday afternoon, long-distance bus services have been seen to be suspended due to clashes with bus workers and outsider three-wheeler drivers.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Farooq Khan said that the clash started due to tension between the two labor unions over controlling the office of the bus labor union at bus stand area and parking of three wheelers in front of the stand.
The police took position in between the two sides and tensed situation prevailing in the area till this report.
Passengers were waiting for hours for the desired bus but they suffered as no transport is available. A large number of policemen are deployed throughout the bus stand and the road ahead.
Bus Owners Group Secretary Kishore Kumar Dey said that at least 2 buses and 5 three-wheelers were vandalised in the clash between the agitated bus and three-wheeler workers.
Asim Dewan, President of Barishal District Bus Owners Group, said that a group of road transport workers is causing trouble by incitement. So it has not been possible to start the bus service yet. Efforts are being made to start bus services soon.
Kazi Kabir, President of Barishal District Road Transport Bus-Minibus-Coach-Microbus Workers’ Union, said the bus movement is stopped due to the trouble between the bus and three wheeler workers.
At 11:30 am on Sunday morning, after visiting went to the Nathullabad bus terminal found that no bus had left the terminal except the only BRTC bus on long inter district route.
Doly Biswas came with her mother to go to Gopalganj. She did not get any transport till twelve noon.
Runa Begum brought her only brother to go to her father-in-law’s house in Manikganj. She said, “I have suffered endlessly because the bus was stopped without any announcement.”
Injured bus worker Sourav said that the moment they entered the Nathullabad bus stand in Barishal from Madaripur, the outsider three wheeler drivers beat them up following scuffle.
After that, all bus workers protested and engaged in clash with the outsiders.
At least 10 workers were injured in the clash and 2 of them were sent to the hospital, the bus workers said.
Three-wheeler driver Sohail said the bus workers stopped the bus by fighting themselves. Another three-wheeler driver named Gautam Roy said, “They attacked us unnecessarily. Bus workers are breaking cars, beating workers, looting hotels and food.
Gautam also said that they operate three-wheelers on 7 routes from Nathullabad. If compensation is not received, a strict agitation program will be given, including stopping driving.