Water transport workers go on indefinite strike

Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation embarked on an indefinite strike from today to press home a 15-point demand including increasing their minimum wage from Tk 4,150 to Tk 10,000.

“Our strike started from 12:01am,” the federation president, Shah Alam Bhuiyan, told The Daily Star, claiming that the shipping minister's January 16 promise to fix a wage board in 30 days was yet to be fulfilled.

The wages were last hiked in 2013 and the workers withdrew similar strikes in the past following government promises.

The other demands include ensuring security for workers, preventing extortion, issuance of appointment letters and maintaining navigability of waterways.

The federation estimates that there are around two lakh water transport workers in the country.