Water transport workers go for indefinite strike

Bangladesh Water Transport Workers’ Union went on an indefinite strike from today, protesting rampant extortion and attacks on its workers.

The workers staged a rally after anchoring a sand-laden bulkhead at Ghat No-5 in Narayanganj city. The strike was called during the rally.

Rifat, a leaseholder, and some people of Bjoy Traders demanded toll from some water transport workers at the estuary of Shitalakhya and Dhaleshwari rivers on Saturday afternoon.  

At one point, they swooped on the water transport workers leaving four of them critically injured.

The victims were sent to a hospital at Khanpur in the city as their condition deteriorated.

Protesting the attack, the indefinite strike has been announced, said Sabuj Shikdar, general secretary of the central committee of Bangladesh Water Transport Workers’ Union.

“Our strike will continue until the rampant extortion and attacks on water transport workers are not stopped,” he warned.