Transport owners and workers have announced keeping bus services to and from Faridpur closed for two days starting on November 11 ahead of the divisional mass rally of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

BNP is scheduled to hold the rally in the town on November 12.

The announcement made on Monday carried a similarity to transport strikes in Khulna, Rangpur, and Barishal in the past few weeks ahead of BNP rallies.

The BNP leaders alleged that the strikes were called only to implement the government’s plan to prevent the party activists from joining the rallies.

The local administration said that they were working on meeting the demands of the transport owners and workers.

Protesting against the movement of unauthorised three-wheelers on the highways, the bus owners and workers, under the banner of the Faridpur District Bus Owners and Workers Unity Council, called the strike.

They sent a letter to the Faridpur deputy commissioner’s office in this connection on November 5.

The council’s general secretary, Golam Mohammad Nasir, told New Age on Tuesday that they demanded an end to the movement of unauthorised three-wheelers on the highways.

They gave the authorities an ultimatum until November 11 to keep highways off-limits to the smaller vehicles, or they would observe a strike on November 11 and 12, and no buses in the town and long routes to and from it would operate,’ he said.

‘It’s not a political move ahead of the BNP rally,’ He claimed, adding, ‘it’s our long-time demand.’

Faridpur deputy commissioner Atul Sarker told New Age on Tuesday that freeing highways from three-wheeler vehicles was a continuous process.

‘The police department is working on it,’ he said. Atul, however, confirmed that he had yet to hold any meetings with transport owners since receiving their letter on November 5.

On September 28, the BNP announced new programmes for the next two months as part of its ongoing movement demanding the resignation of the AL-led government and the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, protesting at the abnormal increase in the price of fuel oil and daily commodities and the killing of BNP leaders and activists.

The party organised rallies in Chattogram on October 12, in Mymensingh on October 15, in Khulna on October 22, in Rangpur on October 29, and in Barishal on November 5 amid arrests, intimidation, and various other obstacles, including transport strikes.