Water transport workers threaten work abstention

The leaders of Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation, a platform of water transport workers, yesterday threatened to go for an unidentified work abstention throughout the country from March 16 if the government fails to meet their 27-point demand by March 15.
They said this at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity. Vice President of the Federation M Shah Alam read out a written statement.
He said they had been demanding an increase in their salary and allowance since 2008, but to no avail.
Amid agitations, the immediate past caretaker government assured them of increasing the salary of the launch workers from January 2009 and interim allowance from July 2008. However, the decision has not been finalised yet, he said.
Shah Alam said they had already informed the authorities in 2010, but no step had been taken in this regard.