The Bangladesh Auto-Rickshaw and Light Vehicle Transport Workers' Federation (BALTWF) has placed a 10-point demand to ensure workers’ rights and road safety across the country.
The demands were announced on Saturday during a discussion meeting held at the National Press Club in observance of the federation’s 9th founding anniversary.
Among the key demands are the approval of amendments to 21 sections of the Road Transport Act 2018, transfer of 9,000 CNG autorickshaw registrations to drivers, implementation of the 13-point recommendations of the Labour Law Reform Commission, prevention of any move to privatise the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), inclusion of the federation’s representatives in the National Road Safety Council, an end to the collection of extra daily deposits and fees from drivers, ensuring adequate parking facilities, stopping police harassment, creating separate lanes for light vehicles, and eliminating corruption and irregularities at BRTA.
Speakers at the event said that the federation would continue its movement until the legitimate rights of transport workers, road safety, and corruption-free administration are ensured.
Former Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment A H M Shafiquzzaman attended the event as the chief guest.
Special guests included Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, Chairman of the Labour and Employment Reform Commission; Advocate Atiqur Rahman, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Labour Welfare Federation; and Abul Kashem, Organising Secretary of the Bangladesh Road Transport Owners’ Association.
Also present were Md Shahadat Hossain, Joint General Secretary; Sheikh Md Mojammel Haque Babu, Publicity Secretary; Md Sohrab Hossain, Member and Senior President of Patuakhali District Unit; Mahbub Alam Badol, former General Secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan South Sramik Dal; and leaders from Dhaka and other districts.
The welcome address was delivered by Md Golam Faruque, General Secretary of the federation, while the meeting was presided over by Azizul Haque Selim, Senior Vice-President of the organisation.
