7 ship murders: Cargo vessel workers strike to demand justice, compensation

Cargo vessel workers in Barishal have declared an indefinite strike to push for a list of demands including the solving of the mystery of the seven murders aboard a ship on the Meghna River in Chandpur and the bringing of its perpetrators to justice.

The Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation, or Bangladesh River Transport Workers Federation, called the strike from midnight on Thursday, said Ekin Ali Master, senior vice president of the organisation.

He said the strike was called to demand that the true cause of the death of seven workers on board the MV Al-Bakhera be uncovered, the killers be identified and arrested and call for Tk 2 million in compensation for the families of each of the deceased workers.

They are also protesting over the government not taking any steps or effective measures to stop crimes, extortion, and robberies on the country’s waterways.

For this reason, workers of all types of cargo vessels, including freight, oil and gas tankers, and sand carriers, have launched an uninterrupted strike, the worker leader said.

"The leaders of all basic unions and branches of the Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation have made a sincere appeal to all boat workers to push for our demands until they are met."

Passenger vehicles have been exempted from the strike for the time being in consideration of the suffering of the general public, he said.