Staff Correspondent:

Transport owners and workers has threatened a 72-hour countrywide strike from August 12 morning to press home their eight-point demands, which includes an immediate halt to the ongoing crackdown on outdated commercial vehicles and amendment of the road transport law.

Leaders of three major associations — Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association, Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners’ Association, and Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation — made the announcement at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club on Sunday.

Saiful Alam, secretary general of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association, read out a written statement and presented their charter of demands.

The government launched the crackdown on July 20 targeting vehicles that have exceeded their economic lifespan.

The drive started about a month after the government fixed the economic lifespan of buses and minibuses at 20 years, and that of goods-laden vehicles — such as trucks and covered vans — at 25 years.

According to the BRTA data as of July 16, there are 39,169 buses and minibuses and 41,140 trucks, covered vans, and tankers that have exceeded their economic lifespan.

Saiful Alam said recent drives to remove vehicles that are 20 to 25 years old have led to transport strikes in various districts, creating fears of a complete standstill.

To resolve the issue, a joint meeting was held on July 20 which urged the authorities to address the concerns within 15 working days, otherwise, they decided to go on three-day strike starting August 12.