Bangladeshi truck, covered van, and mass transport owners have decided to go for an indefinite strike effective from 5 November after the government on 3 November mid-night raised diesel prices by around 18% amid mounting price hike of fuel oil worldwide.
The vehicles owners declared the strike demanding enhancement of fare officially by the government, as otherwise, they will incur financial losses due to the fuel oil price hike.
The strike will bring a halt to the movement of containers and cargoes disrupting export-import activities.
Shippers fear the creation of a backlog and that their containers will become stockpile here and there.
Bangladesh Truck Covered Van Owners Association president, Tofazzal Hossain Majumder said the public will suffer due to the fuel oil price hike as it will lead to price hike of all commodities. He added that due to the fuel price hike truckers and bus owners in many places have already stopped working.
With the latest hike, the price of diesel, the main fuel of mass transports and goods transportation vehicles, now reached close to one dollar in Bangladesh.
“The transport strike will come as large pressure on us when export is in high demand,” said Rafayet Ullah, an apparel factory owner. He noted buyers are pushing to send goods without delay which will be disrupted due to this strike.
Ullah urged the government to rethink the fuel oil price hike and resolve the crisis through discussion for the sake of the country’s export-import trade.
Sharar Nayel
Bangladesh Correspondent
