Rangamati, Sep 21 (V7N)— In response to a wave of unprovoked violence, including the vandalism of vehicles and assaults on drivers, the Rangamati Transport Drivers and Owners Association has announced an indefinite halt to the movement of passenger and goods vehicles in Rangamati from Saturday, 21st September. The decision came after an emergency meeting held at the Rangamati Truck Owners Association office on Friday night.

According to reports from local transport leaders, at least 30 vehicles—including buses, trucks, ambulances, and autorickshaws—were vandalized during attacks on Friday, between morning and noon. Two autorickshaw drivers were brutally assaulted and are now critically injured, receiving treatment at Rangamati Hospital.

Transport workers leader Mizanur Rahman Babu stated that the suspension of vehicle movement will remain in effect until the authorities meet their demands, which include the arrest of the perpetrators, compensation for the damaged vehicles, and the medical expenses of the injured drivers. “We will not resume operations until the safety of drivers is guaranteed,” Babu said during the meeting.

The meeting was presided over by Md. Hasmat Ullya, President of the Rangamati District Truck Mini Truck Pickup Workers Union, and attended by several key transport leaders, including Abdur Rahim Akash, General Secretary of the Chittagong-Rangamati Truck Owners Association, Alok Priya Chowdhury Rintu, Convener of the Rangamati Mini Truck Pickup Owners Association, and Didarul Alam, Finance Secretary of the Car Micro Driver Workers Union.

The leaders collectively voiced their concern over the lack of security on the roads, specifically mentioning rampant extortion and the dangers faced by drivers along the Rangapani-Asambasti Road. They reiterated that the strike would continue until their demands are fully addressed and proper safety measures are implemented to prevent further violence.

The attacks, which involved the destruction of various vehicles and left two drivers gravely injured, have sent shockwaves through Rangamati, a region already fraught with tension following recent unrest. The transport sector, a critical part of the local economy, has been severely affected by the violence, prompting the strike in an effort to pressure authorities into taking immediate action.

Authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the transport strike or the attacks.

END/AJ/RH