Fresh unrest at coalmine
Demonstration demanding profit bonus
Bangladeshi miners in Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) yesterday staged a demonstration demanding profit bonus as pledged by the authorities concerned last year.
Around 1,100 miners took out a procession in the coal mine area in the morning and later submitted a memorandum to the managing director of BCMCL.
As BCMCL Managing Director Engineer Md Quamruzzaman was in Dhaka, his personal assistant Golam Mostafa received the memorandum from Robiul Islam Robi, president of Miners and Workers Union.
The miners went on an indefinite strike on February 1 last year demanding profit bonus as the BCMCL authorities gave profit bonus for 2009-10 fiscal year to the officials and employees.
The then deputy commissioner of Dinajpur Md Abdul Jalil sat with the miners on February 3 where the BCMCL authorities pledged to pay Tk 4,500 to each of the miners as profit bonus. On assurance of the authorities concerned, the miners called off the strike and joined their duties on the day.
Miners and Workers Union President Md Robiul Islam Robi said since the BCMCL authorities did not meet the commitment, the miners have started fresh agitation to press home their demand for profit bonus.
Miners' demand is genuine as they are directly involved in coal extraction, Robi said.
The union leader demanded immediate payment of profit bonus for 2009-10 and 2010-11 fiscal years. Otherwise, he threatened to launch a greater agitation programme.
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