Dhaka's goods transport owners' alliance, who ferry grocery, pharma and electronic items, has withdrawn its proposed indefinite strike from Monday.
Member secretary
Abdul Mannan told the news agency on Sunday that the agitation was called off following an assurance from additional police commissioner Mili Biswas.
The five-point charter of demands of the group includes putting an end to mugging and extortion from trucks and allowing them to ply on the capital roads from 9:00pm to 8:00am.
'The police have agreed to our demand to allow plying of trucks and covered vans on the city roads from 9:00pm to 8:00am.'
Currently, some 1,000 goods-laden trucks enter the capital between 10:00pm and 8:00am every day.
'They also assured us of holding a meeting with the police top brass to stop mugging and harassment on the highways,' Mannan said.
The meeting was also attended among others by Dhaka Metropolitan Police joint commissioner Mahbubur Rahman, advisers of the group Iqbal Mahmud and Arun
Banik, and convenor Aman Ullah.
Most of these mugging incidents take place around Savar, Dhamrai, Ashulia and Kanchpur Bridge near Narayanganj, Comilla's Daudkandi and Chouddagram, and Mirsarai and Sitakunda of Chittagong.
The association claims they have lost about Tk 300 million to the muggers in the recent past.
Their other demands include allowing passage to trucks through Babubazar and Buriganga, and permission to park some trucks near these places since there is no terminal.
Source : New Age
