The inter-district bus communication between Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj was suspended on Monday after Rajshahi transport workers enforced a strike in the morning protesting against the attack on their fellows.
According to the Rajshahi Road Transport Group, about 75 short and long-route buses ply on the Chapainawabganj-Rajshahi route every day and the bus drivers and workers can travel free on any buses.
However, a conflict among the Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi district transport workers ensued when some transport workers in Chapainawabganj beat up three members of Rajshahi transport workers following an altercation over demanding bus fare from a Chapainawabganj transport worker.
Rafiqul Islam, acting general secretary of Rajshahi Motor Workers Union, said that they in a meeting with the Chapainawabganj transport leaders on Sunday agreed that none from both the groups would harass or assault any transport worker and the bus communications between the districts would remain normal from Monday.
鈥楢ccording to the Sunday night decision, two buses left with passengers for Chapainawabganj from Rajshahi on Monday morning. When they reached Chapainawabganj, the transport workers there beat six workers of the buses鈥�, he said, adding that the transport workers stopped plying buses on the route protesting against the attack.
Contacted, Anowarul Islam, general secretary of Chapainawabganj Motor Workers鈥� Union, alleged that it was the Rajshahi transport workers who beat up four of their fellow workers in the morning.
He said that they would sit for a meeting with the Rajshahi transport leaders and workers in Naogaon on Monday night and from there it would be decided when the bus communications would resume.
Passengers traveling on this route suffered most as it cost them thrice to reach their destinations by alternative modes of transport.
Shamim Hossain, who boarded a Chapainawabganj-bound bus from Bogura, said that after reaching Rajshahi, the bus conductor asked him to get down and looked for him away due to the strike.
鈥楧ue to the sudden suspension of bus services, I will have to change transports several times to reach my destinations with an additional cost as the strike has left me with no option but to travel using battery-run three-wheelers,鈥� he said.
