DHAKA, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- Transportation services were severely affected in Bangladesh as a nationwide indefinite strike by truckers has entered the third day.
The truckers demand amendments to the recently enacted "Road Transport Act 2018."
Almost all long-distance trucks stayed indoor.
Only a few private trucks were in the streets in Dhaka, leaving millions of dollars worth of perishable goods stranded in Dhaka and in other towns and cities, including premier seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka.
Relevant government authorities are negotiating with the truckers over the strike, which created untold suffering for businesses and commoners as it has already resulted in a hike in the prices of some essentials.
Md Mokbul Ahmad, a leader of the truckers, said they were demanding amendments, not abolition of the Road Transport Act 2018 that was passed in parliament last month with provisions for stringent punishment to the traffic offenders.
The act, which now awaits presidential approval before it becomes law, stipulates that the traffic offenders will risk being sentenced up to 5 years in non-bailable jail or a fine of 500,000 taka (5913 U.S. dollar) or both.
According to the act, if it is proved that a driver has intentionally killed anyone, it said the incident will fall under either section 302 (murder) or section 304 (culpable homicide) of the penal code.
The country's existing transport law entitled the maximum penalty of three years behind bars with the provision of bail.
The move came in the wake of the countrywide student protests that erupted after two students died on the spot, while other nine were injured after they were run over by a bus in a reckless driving incident in July.
Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Covered Van Truck Goods Transport Owners' Association, said a poor driver cannot pay 500,000 taka (5913 U.S. dollar) in fines for a crash.
Truckers have vowed to continue with the strike until the government agrees to amend the Road Transport Act 2018.
No untoward incidents owing to the strike have so far been reported.
