Water transport workers threaten non-stop strike from April 16

FE Report

Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation (BNJSF) has threatened to go on a non-stop strike on April 16 if the decisions taken in the tripartite meetings are not implemented.

Earlier, the Ministry of Shipping (MoS), vessels owners and the labour representatives held meetings on September 25 and October 4, 2018 that had taken some decisions.

The decisions were to provide identity cards and appointment letters to the labourers, give landing allowance while in abroad (India) and check illegal toll collection and robbery on the river routes.

Besides, setting up Boya lamps on the river routes and provide food allowances were also among the decisions.

The BNJSF leaders said they were frustrated as there were no signs of implementing the decisions taken in the meetings.

"We expected that the government and the owners would meet our demands that were discussed in the meetings," general secretary of BNJSF (Bangladesh Vessels Labourers Federation) Chowdhury Ashiqul Alam told the FE.

He said they gave the ultimatum to the government and the vessel owners for meeting their demands by April 20 last.

"But our demands are yet to be fulfilled. We will stage a demonstration on April 13 at all the river ports to press home our demands. If our demands are not met by then, we will go on a non-stop strike on April 16," he warned.

He also hoped that the problems (implementation of the decisions) could be solved through discussion before their planned strike.

On the other hand, the vessel owners claimed that they have fulfilled almost all the demands of the labourers.

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