Roundup: Transport workers' strike paralyzes Bangladesh capital

Bangladesh's capital Dhaka was almost isolated from rest of the country on Wednesday as a nationwide indefinite strike by transport workers protesting conviction of two drivers has entered the second day.

Almost all long-distance buses stayed indoor.

Only a few private buses and cars were in the streets in Dhaka, leaving hundreds of thousands of travelers, especially commuters, patients and students, stranded.

Man-peddled rickshaws and auto-rickshaws were seen to dominate the city streets.

Tens of thousands of people in Dhaka's major bus terminals suffered immensely as transport workers suspended bus operations totally.

On Wednesday morning agitating workers also vandalized buses in parts of Dhaka when some drivers tried to operate during the suspension.

A transport worker was reportedly shot as fresh clashes with policemen ensued at Dhaka's largest Gabtoli bus terminal, center of the strike protesting conviction of the drivers.

On Feb. 22, a court in Manikganj district, some 63 km northwest of capital Dhaka, awarded life for a trucker convicting him of killing eminent filmmaker Tareque Masud and media personality Mishuk Munier in a road crash in 2011.

Also on Monday in Dhaka, a court sentenced a trucker to death for running over and killing a woman in Savar on the outskirts of the capital in 2003. A government probe later found that both drivers have been negligent.

Relevant government authorities are negotiating with the striking workers' unions over the blockade, which created untold suffering for travellers.

Transport workers have been urged to to respect the court verdicts.

The blockade was called by truck drivers' union which has vowed to continue with the strike until the two drivers are released.

No major incidents have so far been reported. Endit