Launch strike called off

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FE Report
River communication was restored Monday as launch and ferry workers called off their countrywide indefinite strike following government assurances to meet their demands, officials said.
The decision came at the end of a trilateral meeting at the Shipping Ministry. The meeting led by Shipping Secretary, Abdul Mannan Hawlader, was attended by
the launch owners, workers and government representatives.
"The strikers finally agreed to call off the strike taking into consideration the sufferings of the commuters," Mr Hawlader told the FE.
The ministry had held talks Sunday with the striking workers to resolve the crisis, but a coalition of trade unions did not respond positively saying that they received no assurances from the government or the vessel owners.
"We've formed a 16-member committee to report on how their (workers) demands can be met. The committee has been asked to submit its findings within two months," the shipping secretary said.
Lokman Hakim Talukder, director of the Directorate of Labour, heads the committee that includes six launch owners and equal number of labour leaders.
"The inland water transport started operation from 1:00pm across the country, as we asked the workers to go back to work immediately and not to get confused by any provocations from any quarters," Senior Vice-President of Bangladesh River Transport Workers Federation, Shah Alam, said.
He hoped the newly-formed committee would prepare a new wage structure within the next two months. "If the government fails to keep it words, we will launch a massive movement," he warned.
BIWTA Port Director Mahbubul Alam said the workers returned to work after 1:00pm and the launches set sail immediately to the great relief of the passengers, who had been waiting to reach their destinations since Saturday midnight when the strike was enforced.
As the news of the withdrawal of the strike spread, some pro-Awami League trade unions brought out processions at Sadarghat, the country's largest launch terminal.
Nearly 0.15 million (1.5 lakh) water transport workers of five labour organisations under the banner of Bangladesh River Transport Workers Federation called the countrywide strike from 12:00am Sunday to press home their 22-point demands, including increasing wages of the workers.