Khulna transport strike called off

Transport workers have withdrawn their strike in Khulna division following assurances from the authorities concerned to fulfil their demands.

They had been observing strike at 10 districts in the division since May 19 afternoon, demanding release of a Shohag Paribahan bus driver and helper, who were detained by police on charge of robbery.

The decision of withdrawal came after a meeting among the shipping minister, state minister for home and transport workers' leaders at the home ministry in the capital.

"We have decided to withdraw the strike as they (government) have agreed to fulfil our demand," Osman Ali, general secretary of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation, told The Daily Star after the meeting.

The meeting started around 3:00pm and continued till around 7:00pm, said meeting sources.

A passenger-carrying Benapole-bound bus of Sohag Paribahan was robbed at Maizkandi area in Faridpur in the wee hours of May 19.

After the robbers got down, bus driver Ainal Hossain took the bus to Modhukhali Police Station to file a general diary (GD). But police arrested the bus driver and helper suspecting their involvement in the robbery.

Talking to The Daily Star on May 21, officer-in-charge of Modhukhali Police Station Ruhul Amin said they had found involvement of the driver in the robbery. The passengers of the bus have given statements against the driver, he added.