Dispute With Handling Workers Over Wages
Khulna Baro Bazar traders begin indefinite strike
Amid serious dispute with workers over wages, businessmen of Khulna Baro Bazar yesterday started an indefinite strike, closing down their shops on West Mekot Road, Station Road, Bhairab Strand Road, Sir Iqbal Road, Clay Road, Kalibari Road and Lower Jessore Road under Khulna Sadar thana.
The business community have demanded security of their life and property, improvement of law and order situation, security of their investment and necessary action against unruly handling workers.
On the other hand, handling workers engaged in loading and unloading goods observed work stoppage from September 27 to September 30 in protest against 'unjust treatment by shops owners and not paying just payment to porters'.
The strike from yesterday has been called under the banner of Businessmen Alliance Committee headed by prominent leader of Khulna Awami League and former city mayor Kazi Aminul Huq as convenor.
Forty-eight big and small trade organisations of different places under five police stations of the city have expressed their solidarity with the movement.
The strike by proprietors of over 2000 shops including wholesalers of foodgrains, edible oil and other essential consumer goods will create an adverse impact on revenue earnings of the government as these 2,000 businessmen will lose transactions and transportation of consumer goods worth over Tk 100 crore daily, said committee convenor Kazi Aminul Huq.
"Businessmen have been forced to go on strike due to unruly activities of handling workers and their involvement in pilferage of foodgrains, theft of money from cash box, demand for excessive wage and misbehaviour with shop owners," he said.
Denying these allegations, president of Khulna Bazar Handling Workers' Union Nasir Khan and general secretary Shafiqul Islam said, "Handling workers of Khulna Barho Bazar abstained from work from September 27 to September 30 in protest against unjust payment of wages by shops owners and implicating workers in false theft cases."
Besides, most of shop owners, especially wholesalers, implicate handling workers with false charges of theft to avoid payment of their dues, he said.
State minister for Labour and Employment Begum Mannujan Sufian and KCC Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque made attempts three times since September 28 to settle down the dispute between shop owners and handling workers of Khulna Baro Bazar.
But the initiative failed as both the parties remained firm in their stand.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments