Strike paralyses waterways services in Bangladesh

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International News

Nov 30, 2019

9:11PM

Strike paralyses waterways services in Bangladesh

AIR

Waterway transportation in Bangladesh was severely affected as Water Transport workers went on an indefinite strike from today.

The strike has been called by the Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation (BWTWF) in support of their 11 point charter of demands which includes implementation of wage scale announced in 2016, providing appointment letter, ID cards and service books, ensuring social safety of workers and providing a compensation of Tk 10 lakh to a worker in case of his death while on duty.

It is the third time since April this year that the waterways workers have gone on strike.

Operation of most of the passenger and cargo vessels remained suspended across Bangladesh. Loading and unloading at Chattogram and Mongola ports did not take place leading to piling up of vessels at the ports carrying goods. In Khulna, movement of all water transport was halted. Water transport in other cities like Chandpur, Barishal ,Narayanganj, Bhola, Patuakhali and Pirojpur was also paralysed.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority managed to keep operations of the Sadarghat river terminal in Dhaka partially open.

Four organisations of waterways workers went on strike on November 27. However, three of them withdrew the strike after meeting with government but the Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation announced the strike from midnight of Friday.