Launch owners on Sunday evening withdrew their countrywide indefinite strike after the authorities had increased launch fares by Tk 0.60 per kilometre.
Bangladesh Inland Waterways (Passenger Carriers) Association president Mahbub Uddin Ahmed, after a meeting with government officials at BIWTA Bhaban in Dhaka, said that they had withdrawn their strike.
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority chairman commodore Golam Sadeq said that the launch fare was increased by Tk 0.60 per kilometre.
Besides, the lowest fare for riding a launch was set as Tk 25.
On Friday, the association sent a letter to the BIWTA to increase the fares of passenger vessels to Tk 3.4 from Tk 1.7 for the first 100 kilometres and to Tk 2.8 from Tk 1.4 for over 100 kilometres due to the increase in the fuel prices.
‘BIWTA officials earlier told us that they would give us feedback by Saturday noon but they did not respond,’ association president Mahbub Uddin Ahmed had said on Saturday afternoon.
He said that the owners stopped launch movement after Saturday noon on their own decision.
