Transport strike grips Dinajpur as workers surround police station

At the same time, Badsha’s fellow workers surrounded the Kotwali Police Station and staged demonstrations after parking buses at one of the city’s entry points.

The blockade brought long-distance and local bus services to a standstill. Hundreds of trucks and other vehicles became stranded on the roads, causing significant suffering for passengers and pedestrians.

Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station in-charge Nur Nabi said Badsha was shown arrested in connection with a case filed against him earlier.

However, Badsha’s wife and supporters alleged that he had been deliberately implicated in a fabricated case to prevent him from contesting for the post of general secretary in the upcoming triennial election of the Motor Transport Workers’ Union.

According to the union’s election schedule, Thursday was the final day for submitting nomination papers for the general secretary’s post.

The workers’ anger intensified after Badsha was arrested on the very day nominations were due to close. The incident has heightened tensions in Dinajpur city and surrounding areas and brought road transport across the district to a standstill.