Greater Chittagong Public Transport Owners Sramik Oikya Parishad has called for a 48-hour transport strike following the death of two students in Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CHUTE) due to vandalism and setting fire to transport. The 48-hour strike will begin on Sunday (April 28) at 6 am.

The program was announced after an emergency meeting at the organization’s office on Saturday (April 27) at noon. It was chaired by the convener of the organization Manjurul Alam Chowdhury.

At the end of the meeting, Manjurul Alam Chowdhury said, “We want to get rid of the steamroller that is being run on Chittagong based on transportation. A 12-hour strike has already been announced by our labor union. The current anarchy on the roads, such as the excessive influence or pressure of influential circles in road accidents, the arbitrary arrest of our laborers without charge must be stopped. All unauthorized vehicles should be stopped on roads and highways.

‘We express our condolences for the two students of Chuet who were killed on Kaptai road in Chittagong. After the incident, we additionally supported the owners and workers from our own funds. Two of our vehicles were taken hostage and a total of three vehicles were set on fire, including the remaining one. We are demanding compensation for those vehicles. We strongly demand that those involved in the incident be brought to justice.’

While announcing the program, this transport owner leader said, ‘Based on these issues, the 12-hour work break announced by our labor union, for the safety of our transport, owners and workers, tomorrow (Sunday) from six in the morning to 48 hours. On behalf of the council, we have called a strike in Greater Chittagong. If our demands are not met, we will announce programs across the country on May 2 and 3.’

“We don’t want to embarrass the government. We demand justice for those rioting students or some people called students who set fire to our transport. Law is equal for all. We want this law to be properly implemented. We don’t want the government to be embarrassed by making the whole country ineffective.’ Manjurul Alam Chowdhury added.

Member Secretary of the Parishad Mohammad Mucha said that according to the decision of the meeting, bus, minibus, human hauler, autorickshaw and autotempu movement will be stopped in Chittagong district and metropolis, Cox’s Bazar and three hilly districts from 6 am on Sunday to 6 am on Tuesday. No long distance bus will leave or enter these districts and cities. Employers and workers have been called upon to make the strike a success.

Earlier on Monday (April 22), two Chuet students riding a motorcycle were killed when they were hit by a bus on the Chittagong-Kaptai road. As a result of this, since that day, the students have been protesting by blocking the Chittagong-Kaptai road with 10-point demands. On April 24, the driver of the killer bus was arrested by the police. On April 25, when the university authorities announced an indefinite shutdown of the student movement, angry students set public transport on fire.