River vessel leaders to sit today
They will decide next course of action as govt sought time till March to meet their 15 demands
The leaders of river vessel workers will hold a meeting today to decide their next course of action.
On Wednesday, the workers went on an impromptu strike, interrupting launch services between Dhaka and the southern districts of the country for nearly six hours.
Later in the day, the workers sat with State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian when she sought time till March to meet their 15-point demand.
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However, the Noujan Sramik leaders said they did not give any reply to the state minister immediately.
"If our representatives give consent to the offer, then we will postpone the strike. Otherwise, we will observe indefinite strike from Friday," said Shah Alam, president of Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation.
About the discussion at the meeting, Shah Alam said that Monnujan Sufian agreed upon some of the demands immediately such as food allowance and providing identity cards and appointment letters to the workers.
"If a worker dies while on-duty, his family gets only Tk2 lakh," said Shah Alam, adding that the amount should be increased to Tk10 lakh.
In the meantime, Omar Faruque, president of Bangladesh Noujan Sramik League, said as their demands went unheeded they had no alternative to calling the strike on Wednesday.
Later on Wednesday noon, the workers allowed passenger vessels to operate as the government agreed to consider their demands.
"But the work abstention for cargo vessels will continue," Omar Faruque added.
