The New Nation - Internet Edition

Agitated passengers vandalising a BRTC double-decker
bus in Pallabi area after transport workers went on a
wildcat strike in the city yesterday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

A wildcat strike by transport workers following a hassle between passengers and bus staff over fare brought communication on Mirpur-Gulistan route to a complete halt yesterday morning. Hundreds of passengers got trapped at different points of the busy route, while many walked considerable distances to attend offices in time.

The strike happened after agitated passengers manhandled a bus staff on the Mirpur-bound bus from Gulistan in the morning. The staff locked in altercation with passengers at Farmgate at about 8:30am as the passengers pressed for reduced bus fare citing the government announced reduction of Tk 0.05 to Tk 0.07 per kilometer.

Even though fuel price has been reduced a few days back, transport workers are still realising higher fares from the passengers, creating noisy scenes and even fistfights inside buses everyday.

On October 26, the government re-fixed the price of diesel and kerosene at Tk 48 from Tk 55 per litre while that of petrol at Tk 78 from Tk 87 and octane at Tk 80 from Tk 90.