Water transport workers’ countrywide strike enters second day

Water transport workers’ countrywide strike enters second day

The indefinite-period strike called by the workers of passenger and cargo vessels on the river routes across the country continued for the second consecutive day on Monday causing sufferings to general people as well as businesses.

Goods transportation from mother vessels to Chattogram port and from Chattogram to other parts of the country remained suspended due to the strike.

The passenger and cargo vessel workers under the banner of Bangladesh Naujan Sramik Sangram Parishad enforced the strike to press home their 10-point charter of demands.

The demands included the raising of the minimum monthly wage to Tk 20,000 from Tk 7,750, along with food allowance and marine allowance, an appointment letter, an identity card, and a service book for the workers, formation of a contributory provident fund and a welfare fund to ensure the social security of the workers, and Tk 10 lakh as compensation for accidents and deaths during duty.

Md Nur Islam, joint convener of Noujan Sramik Sangram Parishad, told New Age that the strike continued for second consecutive days.

‘No concern authorities has so far contacted us to meet our demands,’ he said.

‘Our strike will continue until our demands are fulfilled,’ he said.

The loading and unloading of containers at the outer anchorage of Chattogram seaport remained suspended from Sunday 3:00am due to the strike, Md Nabi Alam, vice-president of the lighterage workers’ union, told.

Earlier, the water transport workers, under the banner of Bangladesh Naujan Sramik Sangram Parishad, on November 15 announced their 10-point demand and threatened to go on an indefinite-period countrywide strike from November 27 if the demands were not met.

Syed Mohammad Arif, chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agent Association, told New Age that they were facing trouble due to the strike.

Chattogram Port secretary Mohammad Omar Faruk told New Age that the loading and unloading of containers at the outer anchorage of the Chattogram Port remained suspended due to the strike.