Dhaka Bureau: The strike called by shipping workers has been called off. This was announced by the leaders of the shipping workers’ organization in a meeting with the government in the conference room of Shram Bhavan in the capital’s Vijaynagar on Monday (November 28) afternoon.
Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Labor Aktar Hossain confirmed this information.
The meeting was held between the government, ship owners and labor leaders under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Labor and Employment Begum Mannujan Sufian to withdraw the strike of ship workers and solve the existing problems in the shipping sector.
The boat workers observed a strike across the country from last Saturday night, demanding a minimum wage of Tk 20,000 and a compensation of Tk 10 lakh for death at work.
Officials of BIWTA said that no launch left Sadarghat even on Monday due to the strike. Passengers suffered due to this. Cargo ships were also closed.
Boat labor leaders said that although there is a provision to announce a new wage structure every five years, the latest wage structure expired on June 30 last year. But, the boat owners’ organizations are not taking this issue into account. Besides, in the last 16 months, many times of negotiations with various levels of the government, including the Ministry of Shipping and the Directorate of Labor, have not yielded results.
In the last seven years (6 years and 4 months), the price of goods has increased several times, the labor leaders said, without increasing the wages and allowances, the boat workers are spending inhuman days with their families. Now their backs are against the wall. Therefore, the common workers were forced to unite and give a tough program of agitation.
The demands of the boat workers are that the minimum wage of the boat workers should be set at 20,000 taka. Landing pass should be given to workers going to India. Restrictions on night movement of bulkheads should be relaxed. The policy of transportation of goods from the ports of Bangladesh should be fully implemented. Construction of shelter in Chittagong Port and lease of Charpara Ghat should be cancelled. The ongoing operation of fuel oil supply from Chittagong port to the pipeline should be stopped. 10 lakhs compensation for death due to workplace and accidents. Contributory Provident Fund and Seamen’s Welfare Fund should be constituted. The policy of transportation of goods from the ports of Bangladesh should be fully implemented.
