Transport workers in three northern districts – Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, and Natore- have gone on an indefinite strike, halting long-distance bus services to Dhaka, Chattogram, and Cox’s Bazar from early Monday morning.
The strike has been called demanding a rise in wages and allowances, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and causing significant disruption in inter-district travel.
Major private operators such as Desh Travels, National Travels, Grameen Travels, Hanif, and Hanif Enterprise (KTC) have suspended their services on the routes, according to local sources. However, buses operated by Ekota Paribahan reportedly remain in operation.
Bus drivers and transport workers claimed that their wages have not been increased in the past 15 years. Currently, a driver gets Tk1,350, a supervisor earns Tk 570, and a helper receives Tk 530 for each trip from Chapainawabganj to Dhaka.
Despite multiple rounds of negotiations with bus owners, no resolution has been reached, prompting workers to enforce a full strike from Monday morning.
The protest has severely impacted passengers, especially those traveling between Dhaka and key cities in northern Bangladesh. While intercity services are suspended, some local (intra-district) buses are still operating.
This isn’t the first time such action has been taken. On 16 September, bus services on the Rajshahi-Dhaka route were suspended for approximately 41 hours due to similar demands. With no progress made, transport workers announced the indefinite strike last Friday (September 19).
Protesters say that the strike will continue until further notice or until their demands are met.
