UNO on the road to ease traffic congestion, transport workers block over allegations of lathicharge
Transport workers in Muktagachha, Mymensingh, have blocked the road in protest against the Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) for beating a bus driver with sticks. They blocked the road for one and a half hours from 10 am to 11:30 am today. Later, the army came to control the situation and traffic on the road returned to normal.
According to the upazila administration sources, there was a severe traffic jam in Muktagachha municipality area on the Mymensingh-Tangail road. For this, the bus stand was moved from the road in front of the police station to the municipal bus terminal. But even then, buses were standing on the road and traffic jams were created. To prevent traffic jams, UNO Atiqul Islam went to the old bus stand intersection of the municipality around 9:30 am today. At that time, a bus of Islam Paribahan was standing on the road. The UNO asked to move the bus. Problems arose over the incident. Then, the transport workers started raising slogans demanding justice for the UNO, accusing the driver of beating him.
The driver of the bus, Md. Akash alias Bhulu (46), told Prothom Alo, “Before I could take the bus from Monirambari to the bus stop, UNO sir got on my bus. He kept asking his driver to bring a stick. I then said that I was fasting and forgave me. But he did not listen to anything and hit me with a stick.”
Denying the allegation of lathicharge, UNO Atiqul Islam told Prothom Alo, “It was decided in the Upazila Parishad meeting that the buses will be moved to the municipal bus terminal. Even then, the buses were parked on the road. I wanted to know the reason for keeping the buses parked on the road this morning. That is why the drivers are trying to create an issue.”
Babul Mia, convener of Muktagachha Transport Workers Union, said, “This incident arose from a misunderstanding. We will sit in discussion this afternoon and settle the matter. UNO is trying to reduce traffic congestion on the road. “Maybe the UNO has caused the incident today in anger.”
Muktagachha Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Muhammad Kamal Hossain said that the workers blocked the road on the allegation that the UNO had beaten up the bus driver. Later, the army normalized traffic on the road around 11:30 am.
