Dhaka: The disrupted waterway communications returned to almost normal on different routes though Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation stuck to their guns carrying on their indefinite strike on day-8 Friday ignoring the government-set deadline.

Meanwhile, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said the striking river- transport workers who did not join work Friday as per government directive must return to work by 5:00pm Saturday after offering apology.

“The workers must apologize to avert legal action,” he said in his latest ultimatum at a press conference in the conference room of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority.
 
He warned those who would remain out of their duty after 5:00pm Saturday would lose their working licenses.

The Shipping Minister at a press briefing in Chittagong Thursday extended the government-set 24-hour ultimatum till 5:00pm Friday for the strikers to call off the strike or get the stick.

The Minister Friday told banglanews24.com.bd, “I asked the workers to join their work by 5 pm Friday showing the logical cause of their absence on the previous days.”

He categorically said no negotiations would be held unless the workers withdraw the strike.

The water-transport minister claimed that movement of passenger launches started from country’s all river ports bar Khulna.

Besides, work resumed in eight ghats, out of 16, on the Karnaphuli River. Four lighter ships, loaded with crude oil and jet fuel, left the Meghna ghat for different destinations while 10 more ships are to leave Friday, the Shipping Minister informed.

He said unloading goods started in the outer anchorage of Chittagong seaport.

Sadarghat Launch Terminal sources said passengers crowded the terminal at 9 am and many scheduled launches left the city’s main river port for different destinations, while many launches anchored here till the filing of this report.

Abdul Aziz, a Chandpur-bound commuter, said, “I could not go home because of the strike. But I reached here coming to know that the movement of water vessels became normal.”

Meanwhile, FM Hamidullah, the owner of a vessel named ‘Bogdadi-8’, alleged that his workers were attacked allegedly as he came back to his duty.

Hamidullah said,  “Some unidentified persons hurled stones at my workers from Postagola bridge while our vessel passing under the bridge.”

Abdur +Rahim, Supervisor of Bogdadi, said the movement of water vessels is normal in most of the routes bar Rangabali of Barguna and Damadya of Shariatpur.

Police Thursday arrested two members of the water-transport workers’ federation--Manik and Khokon--on charge of Saturday's vandalism at the office of Bangladesh Noujan Sramik League. A total of 11 people, including senior vice-president of the federation, have been arrested in this case.

BDST 1830 hrs May14, 2010
BK/RS/SMS/MUA/