Dhaka, April 16 -- Water transport workers began countrywide indefinite strike early Tuesday to press home their 11-point demand, causing huge sufferings to passengers.

The workers under the banner of Bangladesh Water Transport Workers' Federation declared the strike as a meeting with the Shipping Ministry held on Monday night went fruitless, said Shah Alam Bhuiyan, president of the federation.

Following the strike, the workers suspended plying off all types of passenger and goods-laden vessels from Sadarghat, Khulna and Monga ports from 12:01am.

The demands include taking action against terrorism and extortion, stopping of workers' harassment, full implementation of pay scale 2016, providing Tk 10lakh compensation for any injury of a ...