Work abstention by workers and employees paralyses Chattogram Port

Operations at Chattogram Port have been brought close to a standstill due to an operational work abstention called in protest against the decision to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to foreign operators.

From 8:00 am today Saturday, the loading and unloading of containers and cargo from vessels at the port jetties has been severely disrupted.

The situation arose as port employees and privately employed dock workers did not report for duty.

The Chattogram Port Jatiotabadi Sramik Dal announced the protest programme on Thursday in protest against the government’s decision to lease the NCT to UAE-based company DP World.

Under the programme, all operational activities were suspended from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm today, with a further plan to halt both administrative and operational activities for eight hours on Sunday.

After the programme began at 8:00 am, operations at the port’s three terminals- General Cargo Berth (GCB), Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) and New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) were disrupted.

Container and cargo handling from ships at these terminals has been virtually paralysed. The loading of export-laden containers, brought in from private depots, continued only at the NCT.

Fazle Ekram Chowdhury, president of the Berth Operators, Ship-Handling Operators, and Terminal Operators Owners Association, told Prothom Alo, “We attempted to book workers for loading and unloading containers and cargo from ships at the General Cargo Berth, but were unable to do so. Equipment operators also did not join work. As a result, operations at the GCB have been disrupted.”

Chattogram Port Jatiotabadi Sramik Dal General Secretary Ibrahim Khokon told Prothom Alo that workers and employees had joined the programme spontaneously and that the work abstention would continue until 4:00 pm.