Khulna Food Transport Contractors Association’s strike cripples food dep
Khulna Bureau :
The Khulna Food Transport (Road Division) Contractors Association is paralysed due to the truck syndicate. This is disrupting the government’s emergency services. Goods-carrying trucks are closed. Truck loading and unloading in Khulna’s Maheshwar Pasha, CSD, No. 4 and No. 7 Ghat areas is closed.
270 contractors were released from the Food Transport (Road Division) in 2005. Due to various reasons, there were no more tenders and they are still doing business at the 2005 rate. Business leaders say that if this indefinite strike is not withdrawn, the emergency service food department will become paralysed and 2,500 workers in Khulna will be unemployed. Contractors and businessmen will have to face losses of crores of taka.
Khulna Food Transport Contractors Association President SM Azizur Rahman Swapan said that we who work in the food department in Khulna, Rajshahi, Chittagong, and Dhaka. We have the freedom to rent trucks from this transport. We can take a car from any transport as per our convenience. If we do not get a car in one place, we can take a car from another place.
But in Khulna region, there is a complete exception, Maheshwar Pasha, CSG, Ghat No. 4 and Ghat No. 7 of Khulna, the divisional food transport association does not have the freedom to rent cars.
The reason for this is that the Joint Transport of Khulna is also controlled by the Truck Workers Union. Traders are forced to take cars from them. Their unilateral syndicate is active here. Even during the previous government, they played a trick on us.
After the mass uprising of the students on August 5, it was cold for a few days, but this time it has become active after the February elections. Since 2005, it has not been possible for us to do business due to this syndicate of truck owners.
Hafizur Rahman, a food transport (road) contractor in Khulna, said that the Joint Transport Owners Association (622) has taken us hostage and will take the cars at the rate they give us. We have to pay three to four thousand taka more for a car without an account. In addition, their car does not have a license. And they do not give us any rides.
Another businessman Humayun Kabir said: If we want to take a car, we have to take it through them. We have to take the car they give us.
Another businessman named Faruk Hossain said: Their car does not have a license and is without fitness. They charge us more money. When we protest, they treat us badly.
In this regard, Khulna Truck Workers Union President Sarwar Hossain said that there was a dispute with the contractors. The Food Department has sent a letter saying that a solution will be found if both parties sit down.
Transportation and Preservation Food Controller Rahman said that the Khulna Truck Owners Association does not allow trucks to enter from outside here. We will not benefit from showing this as an emergency service here because there is no alternative road. The contractors have been blocking it for quite some time.