Ctg port operation virtually shut 

The operating activities at Chattogram port has come almost to a close in the wake of 72-hour strike called by transport workers.

The Truck, Prime Movers and Covered Van Owners-Workers Oikkya Parishad called a three-day strike starting from 6am on Tuesday to press home their 15-point demand.

The strike has paralysed the transportation of goods across the country while picking up goods from various ports including the premier one has grinded to a halt due to closure of all carrying vehicles -- prime movers, long trailers, covered vans, and trucks. 

However, a few organisations in transport sector have turned a deaf ear to the strike and continued transporting goods but to a limited scale.

Businessmen have expressed concern over the stalemate in goods transportation. Similarly, port users, including importers, C&F agents, and shipping agents, are worried over the strike and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

From 6am on Tuesday, goods-carrying vehicles could not enter the Chattogram port, which deals with almost 90 per cent of export-import activities of the country. 

As a result, terminals, yards, and jetties at the port look deserted as no activities are there.

Apart from the port, Chaktai-Khatunganj, the largest wholesale market for commodities in the country, did not have any vehicles for conveying goods.

BGMEA wants home minister’s intervention

Nazrul Islam, first vice-president of BGMEA, said the strike would have a negative impact on the lead time of garment exports.

The apex trade body of RMG makers has requested home minister to take immediate action in this regard.

“We have asked the home minister to take measures forthwith to prevent stagnation in the transportation of goods from the port due to such strike,” said the BGMEA leader. 

A BGMEA delegation, led by its acting president SM Mannan, met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, MP at his residence on Monday night and requested for steps to resolve the problem, taking the interests of the industry into consideration.

The BGMEA leaders said retail sales have been growing in major RMG export markets as stores are opening following mass vaccination there, and as a result, Bangladesh has been getting a lot of work orders.

They urged the home minister to take steps keep road transportation of export-import goods smooth and normal. The home minister assured the delegation of addressing the problem through discussion with the leaders of transport associations.

Meanwhile, Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries president Mahabubul Alam asserted that the strike will put a detrimental effect on the economy.

“The strike must end in no time through a mutual understanding among all parties involved, or else, the economy will be affected further,” he pointed out.

Usually, 5,000 trucks, carved vans and lorries carry goods from the premier port every day, but since Tuesday, only a few vehicles belonging to some industry owners could carry their private goods. 

According to Omar Faruque, secretary to Chittagong Port Authority, there is a deadlock in the port; though 2600 containers were to be delivered, no vehicles have turned up here. 

Chowdhury Zafar Alam, secretary general of Bangladesh Truck, Prime Movers and Covered Van Owners-Workers Association, announced the strike at a press conference in Chattogram on September 18 making a 15-point demand.

The demand includes withdrawal of advance income tax on trucks and covered vans, refund of all advance income tax levied so far and immediate re-issuance of licence to truck and covered van drivers which have been stopped for 10 years.

Talking to The Business Post, the transport leader said all types of goods carrying from Chattogram port and all land ports included are closed due to the strike. 

“It is our longstanding demand, but none paid any heed to it. So we had nothing but to enforce a countrywide strike,” he explained.

Discussions are going on at different levels of the government, he said, adding that the 72-hour strike would continue till a clear and convincing declaration on the part of the authorities concerned to meet the 15-point demand.

More than 300,000 vehicles engaged in transportation of goods have not moved in support of the strike.

Transport owners and workers were seen very active to implement their strike at various points in the port city. 

Meanwhile, a big rally was held at Saltgola crossing in the port area to make the voices of transport workers heard.

Mohammad Mainuddin, president, Chattogram Prime Mover Workers Union, said they have expressed solidarity with the strike and stopped their vehicular movement also.

Another organisation -- Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van, Tank Lorry Owners-Workers Samonnay Parishad, has announced a 48-hour strike on September 26-27 across the country for a 10-point demand.

The organisation held a rally in support of the programme in the port city on Tuesday.