Transport strike called in 10 South-Western dists

Staff Correspondent, Khulna: Indefinite transport strike has been called from Sunday in 10 districts of the South-Western part of the country protesting the verdict of the killing case of prominent filmmaker Tareque Masud and cinematographer Mishuk Munier.

The strike was called on Saturday at a meeting of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation's Khulna Divisional Committee held at Jessore zonal office.

Earlier on Wednesday, a court in Manikganj sentenced bus driver Jamir Hossain jail for life for reckless driving and negligence of duties which caused a tragic road accident in Ghior of Manikganj on August 13, 2011 leaving 5 including Tareque Masud and Mishuk Munier, who was also the chief news editor of ATN News, dead.

A Chuadanga-bound bus from Dhaka collided with the microbus travelling to Manikganj town on the Dhaka-Aricha highway at Joka under Ghior upazila. Jamir Hossain was driving the bus of Deluxe Paribhan.

Tareque Masud and his team were on their way to meet the Manikganj deputy commissioner for permission to shoot for his film project “Kagojer Phool” after visiting shooting spot at Saljana village in Shibalaya upazila.

Two of their film production crew -- Wasim, Jamal and microbus driver Mostafizur Rahman -- died in the fatal road crash. Tareque's wife Catherine Masud, painter Dhali Al Mamun, his wife Dilara Zaman Jolly and film production staff Saidul Islam were injured in the accident.

Sheikh Shafiqul Islam Monju, Office Secretary of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation's Khulna Divisional Committee, said: "The definite transport strike starting from Sunday 6.00am has been called protesting the life term imprisonment of bus driver Jamir Hossain. If he is not freed unconditionally, then the agitation will be spread all over the country."

risingbd/KHULNA/Feb 25, 2017/Nurujjaman/Augustin Sujan