Inland water transport owners to go on strike from January 1

The inland water transport owners have decided to go on strike from January 1 if their demands to revitalise Mongla Port are not resolved by December 31.

The decision was taken at a meting of the Inland Water Transport Owners' Association (IWTOA) with its leader Sardar Moinuddin in the chair on Friday.

Their demands include abolition of Mongla Dock workers' Management Board, construction of Padma Bridge at Mawa, dredging of the Passur river, measures to increase arrival of foreign ships at Mongla Port and improvement of the law and order.

The IWTOA leaders urged the government to provide all facilities to Mongla Port as that of Chittagong Port with a view to increasing revenue earning.

They sought drastic measures to stop terrorist activities, piracies, illegal toll collection and political unrest to restore the lost image of Mongla Port, the second biggest port in the country.