United News of Bangladesh

Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain on Sunday said the government will take a hard line to end the ongoing strike at Chattogram Port. “The ongoing strike at Chattogram Port cannot be allowed to continue,” the adviser told reporters at the Bangladesh Secretariat. An indefinite strike by Chattogram port workers resumed at 8am on Sunday in protest against the plan to lease the port’s New Mooring Container Terminal to a foreign company and to press four other demands. Sakhawat Hossain said a handful of people are trying to hold the entire port hostage at a time when Ramadan is approaching. “Chickpeas, lentils and edible oil are lying idle at the outer anchorage. They have taken 18 crore people hostage. This cannot be allowed to continue,” he added. He said several people have already been arrested and the rest will also be brought to book.  

Workers and employees at Chattogram Port blocked the convoy of Shipping Adviser (retd) Brigadier General M Sakhawat Hossain on Thursday when he reached there to assess the situation amid an ongoing strike. The strike continued for the 5th consecutive day on Thursday protesting the plans to lease out the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to global port operator DP World. As his convoy arrived in front of the port building around 10:45 am, hundreds of workers and employees surrounded the vehicles, chanted slogans and obstructed their movement. After about 15 minutes, police and port security personnel escorted the convoy into the port premises. The Shipping Adviser later entered the port building amid continued slogan by the protesters and was quickly taken to an upper floor by lift. Strike brings Chattogram Port to a standstill The indefinite strike enforced by the Chattogram Port Protection Movement Council, has brought all operational activities at the port to a halt. Container handling at all jetties, including General Cargo Berth (GCB), Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) and New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) remains suspended. Cargo-laden vessels are stranded at both the outer anchorage and jetties while cargo delivery from yards and the movement of goods-carrying vehicles in and out of the port have also remained stopped. The Shipping Adviser flew from Dhaka to Shah Amanat International Airport on Thursday morning and went straight to the port. Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Moniruzzaman was accompanying him. Port sources said after entering the port building, the Shipping Adviser sat in an emergency meeting to discuss the ongoing strike and the overall deadlock situation with the stakeholders. The workers began the indefinite strike on Wednesday demanding the cancellation of the process to lease out the New Mooring Container Terminal to foreign firm DP World and the withdrawal of alleged harassment and transfer orders against protesting workers. Chattogram Port workers plan 24-hour walkout as NCT leasing dispute deepens Earlier, following a three-day strike, the Ministry of Shipping issued transfer orders for at least 15 port officials to Mongla and Payra ports. In protest, the movement council first announced a 24-hour work stoppage and later intensified it into an indefinite strike.