Lighter vessel workers call off their strike

CHITTAGONG, Nov 9: Lighter vessel workers called off their countrywide strike from 7.00 pm Sunday, following successful negotiation between law-enforcers and workers' representatives.
A meeting in this regard was called at the office of Chittagong Range DIG Md Shafiqul Islam. Representatives of the river transport workers union, lightering vessels coordination body Water Transport Cell, police, RAB and coastguard were present in the meeting that lasted for three hours till 7.00 pm.
General secretary of Lighterage Vessels Workers Union Syed Shahadat Hossain told the reporters after the meeting that they have called off the strike, as the police administration and authorities concerned have accepted their seven-point charter of demands.
"The DIG has assured us of taking necessary steps to check robbery and extortion as well as to ensure the workers' safety and security. So we have withdrawn our strike from now," he said at 7.00 pm.
The strike, demanding security of the lightering vessels on the internal water routes and freeing the routes from extortion and robbery, spilled on the second day on Sunday.
All internal and external dealings at Chittagong and Mongla seaports came to a halt on Saturday due to work suspension by the inland water transport and lightering vessel workers.
The workers started an indefinite strike from Saturday, demanding an end to robbery and extortion as well as for ensuring security of the workers and operators of lightering vessels.
Workers of the cargo carriers plying in the inland water across the country launched the strike after seven people on board a fertilizer-laden lighter vessel went missing in Laksmipur on Friday night following a 'robbery'.
Lakmipur police, however, claimed that it was an incident of internal clash among the crews. 10 people were on board the vessel - MV Karnaphuli-5 - when it headed towards Baghabari of Sirajganj from Chittagong on Friday night. Three people were rescued by police and fishermen, but seven others remained missing since then.
Following the strike, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan visited Chittagong on Sunday morning. He told the reporters at a function at Chittagong Port that steps will be taken to check robbery and extortion as well as to ensure security of the lightering vessel workers.
He attended a function of the Chittagong Port Authority on the occasion of implementation of the ISPS (International Ship and Port Facility Security) code at No-4 container yard in the port reserved area. The minister said the coastguard and police will jointly work to check the miscreants on the river routes.
Besides, an inter-ministerial meeting will also be held in Dhaka within 10 days to identify the spots, where pirates have been active, and stringent measures will be taken against them in those areas, he added.

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