Members of transport owners decided to call of 72-hour strike that was earlier announced to press home eight demands.

The strike was scheduled to begin at 6am on Tuesday (August 12) and continue until 6am on Friday (August 15).

The decision came on Sunday (August 10) during a meeting between the government and transport owners at the Bijoy Hall of the Power Division Building in Dhaka.

Earlier, on July 27, the Bangladesh Transport Owners-Workers Coordination Council announced the demands at a press conference and warned that all types of commercial transport would be suspended for 72 hours if their demands were not met.

Speaking to journalists after Sunday’s meeting, labour leader Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas said nothing should be achieved by holding the government hostage. 

“All government decisions will be implemented according to the law. Our logical demands have been taken into account in several meetings with the government. Therefore, we are announcing the withdrawal of the strike,” he said.

The demands include amending sections 98 and 105 of the Road Transport Act 2018 and other recommended provisions; increasing the economic life of commercial motor vehicles from 20 and 25 years to 30 years; suspending BRTA drives against 20- and 25-year-old vehicles until issues are resolved; reducing the doubled presumptive income tax imposed in the budget to its previous rate; extending the import age limit for reconditioned commercial vehicles from five to 12 years; releasing accident-damaged vehicles from police custody within 72 hours; introducing a scrap policy for expired vehicles; creating separate lanes on highways for three-wheelers and unapproved light vehicles; ensuring quick issuance and renewal of driving licences; and implementing the 12-point demand of the Workers’ Federation.

MSK/