Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – The countrywide 24-hour transport strike began Thursday morning. 

Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation (BRTWF) enforced the strike demanding that opposition leader Khaleda Zia’s special assistant Shimul Biswas be released immediately.  

The office-goers and school and college-bound students were seen waiting for vehicles on the streets for hours during the strike, according to reports.

The transport strike began at 6:00am on Thursday and will end at 6:00am on Friday, said BRTWF general secretary Osman Ali.  

Police arrested Shimul Biswas, also joint general secretary of BRTWF, from in front of BNP chairperson’s Gulshan residence in the early hours of November 9.  

BBN/SSR/AD-21Nov13-10:58 am (BST)