Owner-worker conflict grounds Dhaka-bound buses from North Bengal

Long-distance bus services from Chapainawabganj to Dhaka and Chattogram have been suspended once again due to a dispute between bus owners and workers. On the night of Thursday, September 25, bus owners halted operations after workers began demanding a food allowance and engaged in misconduct by stopping buses to pick up passengers arbitrarily.

This disruption caused significant inconvenience for passengers, particularly those are homebound to celebrate Sharadiya Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival for the Hindu community.

According to the President of the Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association, Bazlur Rahman Raton, only local buses and Ekta Transport continue to operate, while other long-distance services remain suspended.

Earlier this month, bus services had been disrupted twice by workers demanding higher wages and allowances. Although bus owners had agreed to meet these demands, workers continued to push for additional, unreasonable requests, leading to the current impasse.

Raton explained that despite an earlier meeting with worker leaders in Dhaka, where their demands were addressed, the workers’ refusal to stop indiscriminately picking up passengers forced the owners to shut down services. The workers' refusal to accept the new terms has led to another round of conflict.

Saidur Rahman, President of the Chapainawabganj Truck, Tank Lorry, and Covered Van Workers Union, criticized the unilateral decision of bus owners to stop services before the agreed-upon changes were implemented. He denied claims that workers were stopping buses at random and clarified that passengers were only picked up at designated stops.

This ongoing dispute, rooted in wage and operational disagreements, has led to significant inconvenience for passengers traveling to destinations like Dhaka, Chattogram, Sylhet, and Cox’s Bazar.