Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association (BCVOA) on Sunday warned of waging a movement unless their six-point demands, including stopping illegal toll collection, are met within next 90 days.
The water transportation sector will see a downfall or face ruination if the problems are not solved by then, leaders of the association said.
They demanded of the government to stop illegal toll collection by a section of people from the Coast Guard, River Police, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Department of Shipping.
They put forward the demands at a press briefing at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), organised by Noujan Babosha Samriddhi Oikkya Parishad.
Addressing the press briefing, BCVOA president Mahbub Uddin Ahmed also demanded stopping movement of ships those are out of BCVOA serial, abrogate the provision of double masters and drivers at ships, carry out dredging on the river routes of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Nagarbari and Noapara of Khulna routes, and stopping movement of illegal bulkhead cargos at Chittagong and Mongla ports.
He warned that if their demands are not fulfilled within the next three months, they will go for tougher movement, including work abstention programme.
He called upon the government to resolve the existing problems for the betterment of the sector.
Chairman of Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh Engineer Mehbob Kabir and other members of the organization, including Rakibul Alam Dipu, Khurshid Alam and Laxman Chandra Dhar were present at the press briefing.
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