For the second consecutive day, bus services from four districts of Mymensingh to Dhaka have been suspended, causing severe difficulties for thousands of passengers.
The indefinite strike follows a sit-in protest by anti-discrimination student activists, sparked by the alleged assault, verbal abuse, and forcible removal of July Uprising fighter Abu Raihan from a United Paribahan bus in Mymensingh.
The transport shutdown began as a result of the protesters’ sit-in, which led transport workers to block the road on the city’s bypass at 11am on Saturday. This action caused all buses from Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, and Jamalpur bound for Dhaka to become stranded.
Transport workers are demanding the release of a detained worker and enhanced security measures. The incident occurred on Friday night when Raihan, while boarding a bus, accidentally bumped into bus worker Jhontu. Despite repeatedly apologising and identifying himself as a July Uprising fighter, Raihan alleged that Arun Jhontu responded with “indecent behaviour and insults.” As a result, Raihan was forcibly removed from the bus.
In response, anti-discrimination movement leaders began a sit-in in front of the United Bus counter at Basakanda on Friday night. Soon after, police detained United Paribahan worker Arun Jhontu.
By the next afternoon, the protesters demanded justice for the incident, the arrest of Aminul Haque Shamim, an accused in the Shaheed Sagor murder case, and the suspension of all United Service buses owned by him.
In the aftermath, transport workers blocked the bypass road on Saturday morning, leaving all buses from Mymensingh, Netrokona, Sherpur, and Jamalpur to Dhaka stranded. Likewise, buses coming from Dhaka to these four districts were also stuck in the bypass area. Passengers from both directions endured hours of traffic jams, with some choosing to walk to their destinations.
