World Transport Federation backs Bangladesh union
Monday 11 February 2013
Printable
EmailInternational trade unionists backed a Bangladeshi affiliate's call for regulation and better standards today in the wake of a deadly weekend ferry disaster.
At least 14 people drowned when the vessel sank on the River Meghna in Munshiganj, 20 miles south of the capital Dhaka.
The search for survivors has since been called off.
The ferry was said to have been carrying over 100 people when it went down.
And today International Transport Workers Federation inland navigation section chairman Nick Bramley said local workers had long warned of the dangers of the poorly regulated sector.
"These dangerous conditions are exactly what our affiliated union the Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation has been repeatedly warning about for years," he said.
"This is another totally avoidable accident that - like so many in Asia and Africa - will doubtless be linked to failing regulation, lack of enforcement, dangerous working and overcrowding."
If you appreciated this article then please consider donating to the Morning Star's Fighting Fund to ensure we can keep developing your paper.
Editorial
No excuse for drone killings
Foreign Minister Alistair Burt's admission that the Cameron government has "supported" a survey of attitudes to US drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas amounts to a tacit admission of British involvement.
Features
The Nigel buildings rent strike
As Britain faces a new housing crisis we can learn from an occasion when tenants banded together to beat their landlord - and won new council housing
The truth about universal credit
Iain Duncan Smith's brainchild came into force at the end of last month. It's bad news for almost everyone