Loading...

Jatri Kalyan Samity urges to stand by road, transport workers

| Updated: April 08, 2020 18:14:51


Jatri Kalyan Samity urges to stand by road, transport workers

The Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity on Tuesday requested transport sector owner-labour unions to stand beside millions of road and water transports workers who got unemployed due to the nationwide shutdown.

The passengers’ welfare association in a media statement made the call on the road and water transport owners and labour organisations to provide support to the 9.0 million transport workers across the country as they got jobless because of the coronavirus outbreak and shutdown in the country.

“Some 7.0 million road transport drivers and staff and 2.0 million water transport workers have been passing through an inhuman life along with their family members since March 26 after government-imposed transport shutdown started,” said Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, secretary general of the passenger welfare association.

“In absence of a standard wage structure in the country’s road and water transport sectors,  98 per cent of the total transport workers do their duties under daily wage contract like a day labourer. They got unemployed due to the countrywide shutdown since March 26 and hardly supporting their family with food and other essentials,” Mozammel added. 

He demanded urgent supports from the leaders of the transport’s owners and unions.

In addition, there is allegation of extortion of Tk 30 million daily from the road and water transport sectors and emergency fund for transports workers is also named in the extortion in the name of fund collection, he mentioned adding, despite such a deep crisis there is no sign of expending those funds for transport workers.

On the other hand, transport owners and union leaders have made huge money, even now are facilitated with state power, he added in the statement, but they are yet to be seen coming to help transport workers in such a crisis.

Mentioning the contribution of the transport labourer in the country’s economy, Mr Mozammel said that we need to help the workers otherwise the sector would face crisis if the transport workers switch their profession.    

[email protected]

Share if you like

Filter By Topic