Water transport workers’ strike enters second day

Water transport workers have been continuing their countryside strike for the second consecutive day on Monday to press home their 10-point demand including wage hike.

The workers staged demonstrations at Khulna launch terminal this morning, reports news agency UNB.

Passengers are suffering as all launches from Khulna to the southern part (Dacope, Paikgachha, Koyra, and Satkhira) have been halted.

Cargo launch services also remained suspended.

Currently, a worker is getting a minimum wage of Tk 7,750 monthly when commodities prices have gone up abnormally, said member of the Khulna Noujan Sangam Parishad Farooq Hossain.

He said they have been repeatedly demanding from the owners for increase in wages but they did not pay any heed.

The workers will continue their strike abstaining from work until their demands are met, said Khulna Divisional Organising Secretary of Bangladesh Launch Workers’ Association Delwar Hossain.

On 19 November, Noujan Sramik Sangram Parishad announced to go on an indefinite strike across the country from 26 November midnight to press home their 10-point demand, including fixing their minimum wage at Tk 20,000.

Other demands of the workers are -- providing appointment letter, identity card and service book to workers, formation of Contributory Provident Fund and Seafarer Welfare Fund to provide food and sea allowances, and providing Tk 1 million as compensation for accident and death at work.

Besides, relaxation of restrictions on nighttime movement of sand-carrying bulk heads and dredgers, stopping terrorism, extortion and robbery on waterways, stopping harassment along the Indian border in providing landing passes to workers travelling India, 100 per cent enforcement of goods transport policy at Chattogram port to force all lightering vessels to maintain serial, canceling the lease at Charpara Ghat and stopping all kinds of irregularities and mismanagement by the Department of Shipping.