Transport workers in Rajshahi on Sunday abruptly suspended inter-district and long-route bus services, which badly affected passengers across northern Bangladesh. The suspension disrupted major routes connecting Rajshahi with Dhaka and several other districts, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at terminals and roadside points.
The shutdown started on May 18 following workers’ protests over an internal matter of the biennial election of the executive committee of the Rajshahi District Motor Workers’ Union, local transport sources said.
Why did transport workers stop the bus services?
Transport workers have reportedly downed tools to join the protest against issues surrounding the union committee election process.
There were differences and dissatisfaction among workers with the formation and functioning of the union committee, and it led to protests and blockades of transport, the workers alleged. Protesting workers gathered at major transport hubs and on the alleged blocking of the movement of buses in a number of areas, bringing long-distance operations from the city to a standstill.
Now the matter is being looked at as an internal organisational problem and not between the bus owners from the different districts.
Major Suffering for Passengers
The sudden halt in transport has caused great inconvenience to passengers who want to travel for work, medical treatment, education and personal emergencies.
Many travellers reported being stuck for hours in bus terminals in Rajshahi, not knowing when services would resume. Several of the passengers expressed their displeasure for not being notified about the cancellations, particularly those heading for Dhaka and other major destinations. Normal travel activity came to a halt across the region, with local businesses and transport-related workers suffering as a result.
Unlike the Early Rajshahi Transport Disputes
Transport insiders said the present crisis is not linked to the earlier disputes of 2024 and 2025 between Rajshahi and Natore bus operators. The earlier tensions were largely related to route violations and inter-district operational conflicts of transport owners. But the current closure is reportedly connected with internal election-related conflicts in the Rajshahi District Motor Workers’ Union.
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Authorities monitor developments
Local authorities and transport chiefs are said to be trying to calm tensions and get buses moving normally as soon as possible. Passengers are now hoping for discussions between protesting workers and union officials to bring the crisis to an end before the disruption spreads further across the region. Full bus services from Rajshahi are yet to be resumed.
Summary:
Bus services from Rajshahi were suddenly suspended after transport workers launched protests linked to a dispute over the Rajshahi District Motor Workers’ Union committee election. The shutdown caused major passenger suffering and disrupted long-distance travel across multiple districts.
