The Ambulance Owner Welfare Association has withdrawn its prescheduled nationwide indefinite strike of ambulances and freezer vans following assurances from the government that its demands would be addressed. The announcement was made by the association's leaders at an emergency press briefing held at the reception room of the MP Hostel in the capital at 12:45 am today.
Government Commitments
The briefing was attended by lawmaker Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) Chairman Md Habibur Rahman, Health Services Division Secretary Md Kamruzzaman, and representatives of the police. Earlier, a meeting involving all stakeholders was held under the leadership of Advocate Shimul. The discussion focused on the association's five-point demand and ended with a consensus to resolve the issues within the next 30 days through consultations with the relevant authorities.
"The Ambulance Owner Welfare Association placed five demands before us. Following constructive discussions, we have agreed that the issues will be resolved within the next 30 days after consultation with the relevant stakeholders," Advocate Shimul told the briefing.
Association's Response
Chief Adviser of the Ambulance Owner Welfare Association Mohammad Golam Mostofa Fuad said the government had assured the organisation that its demands would be addressed within the stipulated timeframe, prompting the withdrawal of the strike. "As the government has assured us that our demands will be considered within the next 30 days, we are withdrawing our scheduled strike," he said.
Fuad urged ambulance owners and drivers across the country to continue providing emergency services without disrupting public life. "I request all ambulance owners and drivers to continue serving people and refrain from enforcing the strike, so that no public suffering is caused," he added. He also urged the government to give priority to the association's demands.
The Ambulance Owner Welfare Association had earlier announced an indefinite nationwide strike of ambulances and freezer vans from 6:00 am today to press home its five-point demand. The demands include enforcing commercial registration regulations for ambulances operating on hire, implementing the High Court's directive to ensure toll-free movement of government ambulances, exempting freezer vans and ambulances carrying dead bodies from tolls, and ensuring 24-hour fuel availability to maintain uninterrupted emergency ambulance services.
