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Blockades throw transport workers out of job

Mirza SHAKIL, Tangail
The series blockade sponsored by the BNP-led 18-party alliance brings woe to around 20,000 transport workers in the district.
Virtually denied any work for earning during such political agitation, most of the transport workers including drivers, conductors and helpers of passenger buses, trucks and pick up vans are passing hard days with their families.
"After taking some muri (fried rice) early in the morning, I came out from house. Now I have no money in my pocket to take lunch," Russel
Miah, 18, helper of a passenger bus, said at Tangail bus terminal on Monday.
He went there with the hope to get khichuri which was supposed to be arranged by the workers union. He, however, got frustrated as it was not arranged that day.
Many other transport workers at the bus terminal also showed visible signs of hunger and frustration.
"Earlier during the long spell of political programmes like blockade or hartals, the workers federation with the help of Transport Owners Association arranged khitchuri for the hungry workers but this time they could not do so," said Mir Lutfar Rahman Lalju, general secretary of Tangail district unit of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation.
"The workers federation as well as the transport owners are facing lack of funds for the welfare of the helpless workers as regular collections of both the organisations stopped due to non-stop blockade.
"The federation had to
giveTk 2 lakh to the families of the five workers died normally in last one month while the federation has collected only Tk 40 thousand in this month from the sector.
"Transport workers become direct victims of political programmes like blockades and hartals, suffering financially and sometimes even getting injured or losing lives, but nobody thinks about them," the workers' leader said.
Bus conductor Ali Hossain of Baoikhola in Basail upazila said, "I borrowed Tk 5000 from a local micro credit organisation to feed my family. As per condition, I have to start repaying instalments after one week, but I will be able to do so only when my bus resumes plying the street."
Facing financial hardship during the blockade, truck driver Monir Hossain of Elenga in Kalihati upazila also had to take loan from others as he has to maintain