Work stoppage at ghats for not hiking wages

CHITTAGONG, July 2: Discharging of cargoes from lighter vessels remains suspended in all 16 ghats in the Karnaphuli River as the ghat and warehouse workers called work stoppage from this morning for not hiking their wages.

As a result, scores of lightering vessels with cargoes have been stuck up in the channel and others have to wait in different moorages as their cargoes could not be discharged.

The workers discharge cargoes, mainly food grains and fertiliser, from lighter vessels and store them in the warehouses at different ghats (moorages) of the river. Lighter vessels are engaged in lightering cargoes from big ships that anchor at the anchorage area in the Bay of Bengal.

Joint convener of Ghat Goodam Shramik Sangram Union Anwar Hossain said the workers have abstained from performing their duties since Thursday morning as the wages have not been increased as expected from July 1.

Several hundred workers of those moorages demanded enhancement of their wages in November 2014.

pankajdastider@gmail.com