Launch strike at Sadarghat, thousands suffer

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FE Report
Owners have suspended operation of watervessels at Sadarghat Launch Terminal in the city Sunday after ghat (station) workers assaulted a senior launch employee, causing immense sufferings to the passengers.
Terminal sources said the ghat workers thrashed Faruk Hossain, manager of MV Tipo, following a brawl over unloading goods, forcing the owners to go for the movement in protest of the attack.
The vessel owners also warned of launching a tougher movement, if the attackers were not arrested soon, mentioning that the workers often commit such crimes due to lack of proper legal action.
"We'll go for massive movement unless the attackers were arrested," a launch owner said.
Witnesses said the ghat workers engaged in an altercation with the launch authorities over unloading commodities at noon. The infuriated workers started beating Faruk when he stepped in to settle the issue. Then, he was taken to a local clinic for treatment.
Immediately after the incident, authorities of all launches, anchored at the country's main terminal, refused to carry passengers and positioned their vessels in the mid-Buriganga, demanding exemplary punishment against the attackers.
Later, police and senior officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation sat with the owners, but failed to resolve the crisis, keeping hundreds of passengers stranded at the terminal.