Metro rail services resumed after employees of the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) called off their strike following assurances from the authorities.
The work stoppage, which began at 3:00 PM, had brought the city’s metro rail operations to a halt, leaving thousands of commuters stranded. Later, after authorities provided formal assurances, the staff agreed to call off the strike and metro rail services resumed around 8:15 PM.
DMTCL official Akram Hossain confirmed the incident and said that no trains ran on Friday, but operations resumed after the authorities gave assurances.
Earlier in the day, DMTCL staff held a sit-in protest at the company’s headquarters in Uttara’s Diabari, demanding the finalisation and official publication of a long-pending independent service rule. Employees said that without the rule, which covers paid leave, CPF benefits, gratuity, shift allowances, overtime pay and group insurance, they could not resume duties.
Workers’ leader Sarwarul Islam said, “We cannot waste more time on long-standing demands. Unless our service rule is implemented, such disruptions may continue.” Negotiations with DMTCL Managing Director Faruk Ahmed earlier in the day had failed, with staff rejecting his assurances as repetitive and insincere. The standoff escalated when demonstrators briefly blocked the MD from leaving his office, prompting deployment of army personnel around the DMTCL compound to prevent any escalation.
DMTCL officials confirmed that operations are now back on track, though uncertainty remains over when a permanent resolution of the service rule issue will be achieved.
PT/ra
