The Sunamganj District Road Transport Workers Union has called an indefinite strike over allegations that buses are being extorted for bribes on the Sunamganj-Sylhet Bypass Road.
The strike began on Sunday, said union General Secretary Nurul Haque.
Members of the Sylhet Workers Union have been extorting inter-district buses headed from Sunamganj to Dhaka along the road since September 1, he said.
They beat the bus workers and forcefully take Tk 50 from each vehicle, he said.
“We have informed the Sunamganj superintendent of police and Sylhet police regarding the issue and have called upon them to stop this extortion. But, as we have yet to get justice, we have called an indefinite strike.”
Asked about the issue, Sylhet District Transport Workers Union President Moinul Islam said: “We don’t know who is going around extorting money from Sunamganj’s inter-district buses. The Sunamganj Transport Workers Union did not properly inform us of the situation.”
Sunamganj Superintendent of Police Md Mizanur Rahman said that the local transport workers union had informed him of the situation, but he could not take action as the incidents had occurred outside his jurisdiction. He said he urged Sunamganj transport workers to contact Sylhet police regarding the matter, reports bdnews24.com.
