As water transport workers went on a countrywide strike from midnight, unloading at the outer anchorage of Chattogram port remained suspended on Sunday.

Following the call of Noujan Sramik Sangram Parishad, workers suspended movement of lighter vessels, oil tankers used to unload goods from big ships anchored at Chattogram port’s outer dock from 12am.

Vice President of Bangladesh Lighter Vessels Workers Union, Nabi Alam, said that the indefinite strike was announced on November 15 to press home their 10-point demand, including minimum wage set at Tk 20,000.

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The general workers have stopped unloading goods from midnight and lighter vessel movement from 18 private terminals at Majhir Ghat and Sadarghat areas, he said.

The strike is going on simultaneously at Dhaka, Barishal and Chandpur, major regions connected by waterways.

Water transport services on 18 routes from Barishal came to a standstill as water transport workers there embarked on a strike, causing woes to passengers.

In Chandpur, movement of 40 launches, including 25 that ply on Chandpur-Dhaka route, remained suspended from Sunday morning.

Other demands of the workers are: providing appointment letter, identity card and service book to workers; formation of Contributory Provident Fund and Seafarer Welfare Fund to provide food and sea allowances; providing Tk 10 lakh compensation for accident and death while on duty.

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Besides, water transport workers also want relaxation of restrictions on night-time movement of sand-carrying bulkheads and dredgers, stopping terrorism, extortion and robbery on waterways, stopping harassment along the Indian border in providing landing passes to workers travelling to India, 100% enforcement of goods transport policy at Chattogram port, and cancelling lease at Charpara Ghat and stopping all kinds of irregularities and mismanagement by the Department of Shipping.