Vessel workers’ strike ‘unlawful’

Says shipping minister

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday declared that the water transport workers’ strike for an indefinite period, without any prior notice, was “unlawful”. The river-transport workers went on an indefinite countrywide strike from yesterday to press for their four-point charter of demands, including a hike in wages. Hundreds of passengers have suffered due to the strike. Bangladesh Water Transport Workers’ Federation president Shah Alam said the workers, under the banner of Water Transport Workers’ Movement Committee, declared the strike at zero hour on Tuesday. Earlier, vessel workers had enforced an indefinite strike from the midnight of April 20. The government had later formed a committee to finalise the new wages, keeping the highest salary at Tk. 10,000 and the lowest at Tk. 9,000 for three categories of workers in the sector. “I would urge workers to withdraw their strike. Their demand can be solved through talks. They must call off their strike. It is unlawful as they called the strike without giving any prior notice,” the shipping minister told reporters at a media briefing in the Secretariat. The government was ready to hold talks with the workers who went on strike for an indefinite period, he added. Calling their strike “illegal”, Shajahan Khan warned, “Legal action would be taken against the workers if the problem is not solved through talks.” The shipping ministry has already solved the problems in April this year, including a hike in the wages of vessel workers, Shajahan Khan said. “We have nothing to do. It is up to the labour ministry. The matter was solved on April 26 when workers’ wages had been raised across three slabs—ka, kha and ga classes—Tk. 10,000 for ka class, Tk. 9,000 for kha and Tk. 8,000 for ga classes,” the shipping minister said. He also said a large number of workers defied the strike call and 28 launches from different parts of the country reached Dhaka this morning. Services were normal on different routes in Chittagong, Narsingdi, Bhairab, Mawa, Aricha, Bhola and Rangamati and partial in Patuakhali and Narayanganj, he added.

Vessel workers strike unlawful

Says shipping minister

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan yesterday declared that the water transport workers strike for an indefinite period, without any prior notice, was unlawful. The river-transport workers went on an indefinite countrywide strike from yesterday to press for their four-point charter of demands, including a hike in wages. Hundreds of passengers have suffered due to the strike. Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation president Shah Alam said the workers, under the banner of Water Transport Workers Movement Committee, declared the strike at zero hour on Tuesday. Earlier, vessel workers had enforced an indefinite strike from the midnight of April 20. The government had later formed a committee to finalise the new wages, keeping the highest salary at Tk. 10,000 and the lowest at Tk. 9,000 for three categories of workers in the sector. I would urge workers to withdraw their strike. Their demand can be solved through talks. They must call off their strike. It is unlawful as they called the strike without giving any prior notice, the shipping minister told reporters at a media briefing in the Secretariat. The government was ready to hold talks with the workers who went on strike for an indefinite period, he added. Calling their strike illegal, Shajahan Khan warned, Legal action would be taken against the workers if the problem is not solved through talks. The shipping ministry has already solved the problems in April this year, including a hike in the wages of vessel workers, Shajahan Khan said. We have nothing to do. It is up to the labour ministry. The matter was solved on April 26 when workers wages had been raised across three slabska, kha and ga classesTk. 10,000 for ka class, Tk. 9,000 for kha and Tk. 8,000 for ga classes, the shipping minister said. He also said a large number of workers defied the strike call and 28 launches from different parts of the country reached Dhaka this morning. Services were normal on different routes in Chittagong, Narsingdi, Bhairab, Mawa, Aricha, Bhola and Rangamati and partial in Patuakhali and Narayanganj, he added.