Capital Dhaka has become almost cut-off from the rest of the country as the authorities have suspended movement of all modes of river and road transports ‘fearing violence’ over the opposition’s Dhaka march programme scheduled for Sunday. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia announced the programme on December 24 calling upon people from all walks of life to march towards Dhaka carrying the national flag to press home their demands for holding the next national election under a non-party neutral administration.
Our correspondents from Barisal, Bhola and Chandpur reported suspension of launch services from the districts to Dhaka and of ferry services on major routes, including Mawa-Kawrakandi, from Friday night.
Apart from security concern, the authorities cited visibility problem caused by thick fog for the suspension of the launch and ferry services at some places.
No buses started for Dhaka from Sylhet, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Bogra, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Bhola, Patuakhali, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Jessore, Lalmonirhat, Pirojpur, Barisal, Khulna and some other districts since Friday evening.
Rail communication from Lalmonirhat to Dhaka has also been suspended.
Barisal police, led by deputy commissioners (Sadar) Shoaib Ahmad and ATM Mujahidul Islam (South), compelled hundreds of passengers to disembark from Dhaka-bound launches, including Suruvi-8, Parabat-11 and Tipu-7, at about 8:00pm.
Both the police officers told journalists that launch services had been stopped as per directives of the higher authorities.
“The local administration has asked us to stop launch services. So, no vessels will leave for Dhaka tonight (Friday),” Selim Ahmed, supervisor of the Parabat Launch Company in Barisal said.
Manager of Sakura Paribahan, Kamal Hossain Majumder, said that they had cancelled all trips from Jhalkathi to Dhaka from Friday morning as per the directive of the owners.
President of Chuadanga District Bus-Truck-Sarak Paribahan Sramik Union Mohammad Islam said they had suspended all services, including passenger buses, after getting verbal directives from the local administration.
The local administration directed them not to ply any vehicles till December 29, he added.
The President of Rajshahi Motor Sramik Union, Kamal Hossain Robi, said, “We have returned all the sold tickets for Friday to the respective passengers, as the central committee of Sramik Union has asked us to stop services until further notice.”
UNB adds: Pro-Awami League owners and workers suspended the operation of buses and launches on several routes while many others were ‘forced’ to stop the services leaving thousands of people stranded at different launch terminals and bus stands.
In Rajshahi, transport workers loyal to the ruling party on Friday called a strike on Rajshahi-Dhaka route until Sunday for ‘security reasons’.
District Motor Workers’ Union began the strike at 5pm Friday and it will end on Sunday evening.
Bus services of Barisal and other parts of the region were also stopped in the morning.
Aftab Hossain, president of Barisal Bus Owners’ Association, said the operation of Dhaka-bound passenger buses from Barisal and other parts of the region were suspended at 11:30 fearing the loss of lives and property through acts of sabotage over the March for Democracy programme.
Similar transport strikes have also been enforced on different routes including Sylhet-Dhaka, Meherpur-Dhaka, Bagerhat-Dhaka, Pirojpur-Dhaka, Bhola-Dhaka.
-With The Independent input
