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Dock workers and terminal staff have continued their work stoppage for a third consecutive day to protest the handover of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to the UAE-based firm DP World.
The strike called by the “Bandar Rokkha Sangram Parishad” (Port Protection Struggle Council) has resulted in a halt to all forms of operational activities at Chittagong Port, including the loading and unloading of ships at the jetty, since 8:00 am on Monday.
All types of cargo vans, trailers, and lorries have been barred from entering the port, resulting in a deadlock that continues into a third day, bdnews24.com reports.
Fazle Ekram Chowdhury, a private berth operator at the port, said no workers could be booked for a third consecutive day and no work is being conducted at the general cargo bay.
Ibrahim Khokon, a coordinator of the Sangram parishad and general secretary of the port’s Jatiotabadi Sramik Dal (JSD) unit, said the work stoppage has entered its third day and no work has been done inside the port since 8:00 am.
Everyone has joined the protest spontaneously, he added.
The JSD, which called the eight-hour strike for Saturday and Sunday, said the action was organised to oppose the transfer of terminal operations to a foreign firm. On Sunday, the workers announced they would continue their eight-hour work stoppage programme on Monday as well.
Following the first day of the work stoppage, the Chittagong Port Authority transferred four officials involved in the protest with immediate effect. It also formed a six-strong committee to assess revenue losses caused by the disruption. On Sunday, it transferred another 12 people involved in the protest.
Citing the protest situation, Chattogram Metropolitan Police issued a public notice banning all rallies, gatherings and processions in and around the port area for one month from midnight on Saturday.