Water Transport: Workers could go on strike on July 23

Water transport workers yesterday threatened to go for countrywide indefinite strike from midnight July 23 unless their 21-point demands are met.

Shah Alam Bhuiyan, president of Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation, declared this ultimatum from a rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

Later, they brought out a procession and started their way to the Prime Minister's Office to submit a memorandum there. However, police intercepted the procession near Kadam Foara besides the Jatiya Eidgah.

A delegation from the federation later submitted the memorandum to the prime minister.

The federation's demands include repatriation of eight transport workers who are in an Indian jail since March 22, and immediate release of eight other workers who were convicted in a case filed for the capsize of MV Koko-4.

Chowdhury Ashiqul Alam, general secretary of the federation, said the eight workers were arrested from near Haldia port in Kolkata, when they went to buy daily supplies. A case has been filed against them and they are now in jail, he said.

On April 25, the Marine Court in Dhaka punished Koko company and nine of its staff as it found them guilty of causing MV Koko-4 to capsize that left 81 people killed and many more missing in November 2009. One of them died later.

The federation demanded the immediate release of the arrested men and called for reviewing the accident to bring all responsible persons under accountability.

The other demands include issuance of appointment letter, identity card and service book for all workers by the owners; an end to the harassment of workers by filing cases against them for accidents, overloading of boats and other charges; and prevention of extortion and robbery on waterways.