Labor and employee organizations have announced an indefinite strike against the decision to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram Port. The program will start from 8 am on Wednesday (February 4) and will continue until further notice.
The workers and employees began a 24-hour strike from 8 am on Tuesday (February 3). As a result, cargo movement activities at the country's main seaport almost came to a standstill. In a blockade program organized on the same day in the port area, General Secretary of the Chittagong Port Nationalist Workers' Party Ibrahim Khokon announced an indefinite strike and said, "The naval advisor is threatening us in various ways. They are transferring our people and talking about punishment by conducting mobile courts. Taking everything into consideration, we are starting an indefinite strike from tomorrow morning."
The main demands of the workers and employees are not to lease the NCT Jetty to the foreign company DP World, the resignation of the port chairman and the cancellation of all transfer orders made the center of the movement.
Currently, operations are closed at all terminals including NCT, CCT and general cargo berths of the Chattogram Port. Iftekhar Kamal, Joint Secretary of the Bangladesh Skippers Federation, told the media that the overall operations of the port have come to a standstill as the movement of containers and general goods has been completely stopped due to the strike.
This important standstill at the Chattogram Port can have a major impact on the country's trade and supply chain.
