Water transport workers have threatened to go on a fresh strike from February 25 if a new wage structure is not announced within February 24.
They will make a formal announcement in this regard soon, said Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation president Md Shah Alam Bhuiyan.
The water transport workers withdrew their strike on November 28 last year following an assurance that a gazette will be published within a month fixing new wages but the government is still dilly-dallying despite more than two months passed, Shah Alam told Jago News on Saturday morning.
"All kinds of water transports will remain suspended across the country from 12:01 am (February 25) if a new wage is not declared by February 24. We will make a formal announcement regarding this soon," he said.
Earlier, Noujan Sramik Sangram Parishad started a strike across the country from November 27 last year to press home their demands, including an increase in wages.
On November 28 of the same year, a meeting among State Minister for Labor and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian, the water transport owners, and the workers was held at Srama Bhaban in capital Dhaka to resolve the crisis.
After the meeting, Monnujan Sufian said a committee was formed to set a minimum wage for the workers within a month and the owners were asked to pay them an interim allowance for this one month.
Read More: Water transport workers call off strike
At that time, water transport leaders, however, said there is a provision for declaring a new wage structure every five years.
Tenure of the last salary structure ended on June 30 last year but the water transport owners' associations did not take it into account, they said.
They went to different places, including the Shipping Ministry, and the Labor Department, seeking measures in this regard but to no avail, they added.
The workers also said they are now leading a miserable life with families amid the commodity prices hike in phases as their wages were not increased.
Their demands include fixing the minimum wage at Tk 20,000, issuing landing passes for the workers going to India, relaxing the ban on the movement of bulkheads at night, and Tk 10 lakh compensation in case of workers' death at workplace or in accident.
RMM/SU