Workers on strike

Development workers of newly-built 275MW coal-fired power plant at Barapukuria in Parbatipur upazila under the district started an indefinite strike yesterday, demanding employment as operational workers of the plant.

Abu Sayeed, general secretary of Sramik Andolon Parichalana Committee, said they had been working since the development work of the third unit of Barapukuria Power Plant started in August 2014.

As many as 500 workers, who became jobless with the end of the development work of the plant, urged the plant authorities to employ them as operational workers, he said.

They are capable of doing the plant operational work, but the plant authorities recruited manpower keeping them out, said Sayeed.

They would go for tougher agitation if their demand is not met immediately, said the agitating workers.

The leaders of the workers handed over a memorandum to plant authorities on Thursday giving a 72-hour ultimatum, which ended on Sunday, said the workers.

Nuruzzaman Chowdhury, project director of 3rd unit of Barapukuria Power Plant, said the contracted company of the power plant is the authority to recruit necessary operational manpower for the plant, but the company is yet to start the recruitment process.

China-based Harbin International is the contracted company of the plant.

Power generation of the plant has not been affected by the strike, said officials of the plant.

Bangladesh Power Development Board built two units (each 125MW) plants near Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd, which started generating power with coal in 2006.

Later, another 275MW unit plant was built there which started power operation in November last year.