It was after six days of enormous suffering that we were relived to hear the news of inland water transport workers calling off their strike. For six days not only were launch passengers put to severe hardship, movement of cargo was also severely hampered which affected, among other things, generation of power. The workers were demanding increase in pay. 

However, no sooner had the workers called off their strike on 27 April than the cargo vessel owners stopped plying their vessels. We understand that the cargo vessel owners association has not called the strike but the individual owners who feel that they would not be able to bear the burden of the increased wages and have decided to shut down operation. The redeeming feature is that the passengers launch owners have worked out a modus vivendi with their workers and are plying their vessels. 

Reportedly, the announcement of enhancement of pay was made unilaterally by the government, and although the meeting was participated by all the three stakeholders, the owners had not given their consent to the new pay proposals. It defies logic that a new pay scale would be announced without taking the views of the owners on board.

We feel that the government should immediately workout a compromise formula that will meet the demands of the workers as well the owners. As it is, a large number of cargo ships are anchored in Chittagong port and outer anchorage, waiting to be unloaded. And with the impending Ramazan and the current heat wave an amicable solution must be found without delay if the people are to be spared the inevitable hardship a continued cargo vessel strike will impose on them.