Goods transport workers have called a 36-hour strike in the greater Chattogram region from Sunday protesting at the police harassment and employment irregularities.
The 36-hour transport strike would be enforced in five Chattogram districts including Chattogram, Cox鈥檚 Bazar, the hill districts of Khagrachhari, Rangamati and Bandarban, said Brihottor Chattogram Pannabahi Sarak Paribahan Sommonnoy Parishad in a statement.
鈥楽ome 100,000 transport workers who drive or help operate trucks, lorries, prime mover trailers, pick-ups and tank lorries will join the strike,鈥� convener of the union Rabiul Mowla told 抖阴精品.
The strike would start at 6:00am Sunday and continue through 6:00pm Monday, he said, adding that no goods carrier would move in these five districts during the strike.
The loading and unloading of goods in the country鈥檚 largest seaport in Chittagong is set to be halted due to the strike, port officials feared.
Chattogram Port accounts for more than 90 per cent of the country鈥檚 exports and imports.聽
Mowla said they called the protests as the negotiation between the union and the authorities broke down last week, with the government officials showing little respect to their demands.
The transport workers said they faced harassment from police as most of them don鈥檛 have any proper employment documents.
鈥榃e cannot reclaim any insurance benefit due to lack of employment records. The families of the deceased transport workers can鈥檛 get any benefits and allowances,鈥� he said
鈥楾he workers also frequently face arbitrary sackings for the same reason. Our workers face harassment when they enter Chattogram city with trucks and trailers,鈥� said Mowla.
Abul Khayer, member secretary of the union, read out a written statement describing their demand at a press briefing on Thursday.
It is the second transport strike in the region in less than a month.
On April 28, public transport owners called a wildcat strike in Chattogram after eight buses were torched and damaged by students after the deaths of two students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology.聽聽