Prime Mover, Trailer Workers-Owners call off strike in Ctg
UNB
Prime Mover-Trailer Workers-Owners Oikya Parishad that went on an indefinite strike in Chittagong Port on September 26 and later postponed it until October 4, called their programme off on Thursday, reports UNB.
The decision was taken after a fruitful meeting with Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader at the Secretariat.
President of Prime Mover, Trailer Owners- Workers Association, Chittagong Abu Bakar Siddique announced the withdrawal of the strike.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, Railways Minister Mazibul Hoque, Food Minister Qamrul Islam, Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, representatives of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), and owner and workers of Prime Mover Owners Association, were present at the meeting.
Minister Obaidul Quader said, Theres no bar to carrying goods weighing highest 32 tons in 4-axel prime moversprime mover owners can carry highest 42 tons goods adding an additional axle. However, the government has fixed a time bar of six months to fix the axle in vehicles for carrying excessive load, he said.
Besides, he added, a decision was taken to refix the maximum permissible load in transporting food and fertiliser-laden vehicles and a notification in this regard will be issued on October 31. Another decision was taken to dismantle bumpers, hooks and angels by November 30 for freeing vehicles from extra load.
The Oikya Parishad enforced the strike to realise their seven-point demand on September 26 after a number of workers and drivers were allegedly harassed and assaulted at Daudkandi weighing scale on Dhaka-Chittagong highway.
However, the strike was postponed until October 4 after a meeting with the district administration.
