CHATTOGRAM, Apr 02: The workers of different jute mills in Chattogram staged street demonstrations at the city's Pahartoli area and Sitakunda this morning disrupting traffic and movement of trains in and around the port city.
The demonstrators gathered at factories and took out processions in streets, blocking roads and highways and railway tracks at Pahertoli and Sitakunda, police and witnesses said.
As a result, movements of vehicles and trains were halted for four hours, causing immense sufferings to commuters, especially HSC examinees, school-going children and bus passengers.
Sources said hundreds of workers of different jute mills gathered on roads and rail lines at Pahartoli and Sitakunda at around 8:00am.
They brought out separate processions and paraded different roads, including the Dhaka Chattogram Highway, halting buses and other vehicles and trains.
They also held protest meetings on roads and railway tracks, and from the meetings they declared a wildcat protest programme of blocking the roads and rail lines from 9:00am to 12noon to press for their various demands.
As a result, the inter-district trains Paharika, Meghna and the shuttle train of Chattogram University either were stranded or left the station lately.
They also announced a nine-point-demand. The demands include payment of unpaid salaries and other dues by the authorities of the mills, formation of new wage board for jute mill workers and more allocation in the next budget for the jute sector.
Police rushed to the spot but the agitating workers stayed on the roads and continued their protest programmes.
Later they withdrew the road and rail blockade at around 11:00am, following requests made by the law-enforcers. However, the movements of vehicle and trains resumed after one hour at 12noon.
Talking to the FE, President of Workers Union of Amin Jute Mills Limited Arifur Rahman said the jute mill workers are suffering for a long time for non-payment of their wages and other arrears by the authorities.
"We brought out processions and staged others agitation programmes today demanding of the government to fulfil (our) nine points, including more allocation in jute sector, payment of wages and (other) dues, formation of (a) new wage board for jute mill workers, etc," he said.
On the other hand, passengers of stranded vehicles said they have suffered immensely for the road blockade. Officials of Bangladesh Railway said that the agitated workers of jute mills staged (rail line) blockade forcing trains to leave stations for their respective destinations very lately.
However, the movement of trains to and from Chattogram Rail Station became normal (after withdrawal of the blockade), they said.
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