The unloading of goods and cargo transportation remained suspended and around 800 ships are stranded at more than 50 ports and ghats across the country as water transport workers continues their strike for second consecutive days on Saturday.
Bangladesh Water Transport Workers' Federation (BWTWF) called for the strike at midnight on Thursday to press home their various demands, including a investigation into the murders of seven crewmen in a cargo vessel in Chandpur, exemplary punishment to the killers, ensuring overall security on waterways, and Tk 20 lakh compensation to the family of each deceased worker.
Due to the strike, the unloading of all types of goods from the outer anchorage of the Chattogram Port has been halted. Besides, the transport of goods on the country’s internal waterways is completely stopped.
Hundreds of lighter ships and more than 20 foreign mother vessels are sitting idle at the outer anchorage due to strike.
According to the Bangladesh Water Transport Coordination Cell, the lighter ship control organization, about 10,11,235 tons of goods are stranded in 738 ships at 57 ghats in the country due to the strike of the naval vessel workers.
BWTWF president Shah Alam said it will not be possible to put the workers to work until our demands are met.
They have stated their demands. Currently, the movement of all types of cargo vessels, including oil and gas, coal and sand, and the movement of goods are stopped.This strike will continue until their demands are met.
Meanwhile, the authorities are yet to engage in any discussions with the striking water transport workers, which led to the commencement of the strike at midnight on Thursday.
Earlier, on Monday (December 23), coast guard and river police recovered the bodies of five crew members and rescued three others with critical injuries from the MV Al-Bakhera, which was going to Sirajganj from Chattogram with fertiliser.
Two of the injured died at Chandpur Sadar's 250-bed General Hospital and the eighth crew member admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
A case was filed with the Haimchar Police Station on Wednesday (December 25) following a complaint lodged by the vessel's owner Mahbub Morshed.
A team of RAB-11 arrested Akash Mondal alias Irfan, who was a member of the vessel's crew, from Bagerhat's Chitalmari area on Tuesday night over the murders. He was later placed on a seven-day remand.
