Not a single bus crossed Khulna's Rupsha bridge today
No passenger bus or minibus crossed Khan Jahan Ali Bridge on Rupsha river in Khulna on Saturday in the second day of the transport strike called by the Khulna district bus, minibus, coach and microbus owners association.
This bridge connects Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Gopalganj, Barishal and Dhaka with the divisional town Khulna. A total of 97 buses and 23 minibuses crossed the bridge on the first day of the strike on Friday. But not a single bus or minibus crossed the bridge from midnight to 1:00pm today.
This information was availed from Rupsha bridge toll plaza. A total of 30 toll-free buses-minibuses of the government crossed the bridge in the morning. These vehicles are of Payra port authorities and are used by coast guard, navy and various other government personnel.
In contrast, a total of 2,671 motorcycles-vans crossed the bridge till 1 in the afternoon and the number was 2,527 on Friday.
On Thursday, a day before the strike, a total of 875 buses-minibuses crossed the bridge in 24 hours. 450 of these were Khulna-bound buses. Over 2,500 motorcycles and vans crossed the bridge on the same day.
The announcement of the strike enforced by the owners association said Nosimon, Korimon, Mahindra, Easy bike and BRTC vehicles are plying on roads and highways flouting the high court order and a strike would be enforced on 21 and 22 October if the authorities don’t suspend illegal operation and counters of the said vehicles. Long-haul buses were out of the purview of the strike as these were under Malik Paribahan Samity, a different organisation. Yet, no long-haul buses to and from Khulna plied today.
It was claimed that the strike has nothing to do with BNP’s rally in Khulna, but some people were seen obstructing vehicular movement and getting the passengers off the vehicles in many points of the city.
Many people were seen crossing the bridge on foot since morning. This correspondent talked with an employee of a non-government organisation who came to Khulna from Narail in a private vehicle in the morning. He said his vehicle was intercepted in five places and some people carrying sticks asked about his identity.
The person on condition of anonymity said he was able to reach Khulna after showing them his office ID card.
Rani Roy, 32, a readymade garments worker, and her husband, started for Khulna from Dhaka on the information of the death of her father-in-law. But the bus they were on could not come beyond Gopalganj. Later they reached Rupsha Kheya Ghat on motorcycles and vans. As trawler operation was also suspended, they could not cross the river. After waiting for a trawler or boat for a long time, they crossed the river by walking on the bridge.
“I don’t know what happened on the road. We’ve come to Dhaka on the information about my father-in-law’s death. We will have to get to Paikgacha anyhow,” Rani Roy said.
No officials of the Rupsha Bridge authorities wanted to make any comment on the suspension of public transport.
But they said people are crossing the bridge on foot as the transport operation has decreased.