Addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity on Wednesday, the leaders of the Bangladesh Auto-Rickshaw Light Vehicle Transport Workers Federation (BALTWF) said the three wheeler drivers and light vehicle transport workers would not be much benefited from the increased fare.      

They, however, said they made repeated appeals to different levels of  administration including deputy commissioners, city mayors, Relief and Disaster and also Road Transport and Bridges ministries for financial help from the government for affected workers during the general holidays but yet to receive anything.   

BALTWF General Secretary Golam Faruk read out a written statement while President Abul Hossain and other leaders were present on the occasion. 

Welcoming the government decision to reopen the transport operation maintaining health guidelines, the leaders demanded that the government take strict action against extortionists in the transport sector. 

“Extortion must be stopped. It creates anarchy in the transport sector and does not do the worker’s any good,”  BALTWF general secretary said adding that those who were involved in extortion in the past must be identified and brought to book.

He also urged the transport workers to raise their voices against extortionists. 

Faruk reiterated their call to the government to provide financial help from stimulus packages for the affected transport owners and workers for recovery of their losses during the general holiday declared to limit transmission of coronavirus. 

The BALTWF leaders urged the government provide transport workers special allowances as they have been rendering service to people with great risk of coronavirus infection.