CHATTOGRAM, Bangladesh – Transport owners and workers across Greater
Chattogram have declared a 24-hour strike scheduled for July 20, 2025, to press for the realization of four crucial demands. The decision, announced by the Greater Chattogram Public and Goods Transport Owners Federation, follows what they describe as a lack of progress on previously submitted grievances and a recent government directive threatening the livelihood of thousands in the sector.
The strike, set to begin at 6:00 AM on Sunday, July 20, will impact public and goods transportation across Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Banshkhali, Anwara, and Rauzan. Leaders of the federation warned that if their demands are not met, the entire transport sector in these regions could face severe disruption, with the onus of the consequences falling on the government.
The core of the dispute centers on a notification issued by the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry on June 19, 2025, under Section 36 of the Road Transport Act 2018. This directive sets an “economic life” for passenger buses and minibuses at 20 years, with separate limits for goods-carrying vehicles. Transport owners claim this decision, if implemented, would render approximately 8,000 vehicles in the affected areas inoperable, leading to massive financial losses and unemployment. They argue that factors such as global economic instability, rising spare parts costs, and discriminatory taxes prevent them from acquiring new vehicles, making a unilateral “economic life” determination catastrophic for the industry.
The four key demands put forth by the transport owners and workers are:
* Reconsideration and Revisions of “Economic Life” Decision: The federation demands the immediate cancellation of the “economic life” decision and its reassessment through constructive dialogue with all transport stakeholders.
* Amendments to Road Transport Act 2018: They call for amendments to the Road Transport Act 2018, which they deem contrary to the interests of owners and workers. They specifically demand the implementation of proposals for amendments already submitted by the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association, Bus-Truck Owners’ Association, and the Transport Federation.
* Withdrawal of Presumptive Income Tax: The withdrawal of previously imposed presumptive income tax is another significant demand.
* Cessation of Sector Privatization Efforts: The federation opposes any attempts to hand over control of the transport sector to private entities under the guise of “management” and asserts that no individual agency should be allowed to hold transport owners and workers hostage.
Leaders present at the emergency meeting on Saturday, July 12, where the strike decision was made, included Ekramul Karim, Vice President of the Road Transport Owners Association, and Morshedul Alam Qaderi, General Secretary of Chattogram District Road Transport Owners Group, among others. They reiterated their resolve to continue the protest until their demands are addressed by the authorities.
