CPA transfers 12 more staff after protests over leasing port operations to foreign company

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has transferred 12 more employees who joined the protests against leasing the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to a foreign company.

They were transferred through an order signed by the chief personnel officer of the CPA on Sunday.

With the latest transfers, the total number of staff transferred has reached 16 since protests began against the government’s plan to hand over port operations to a foreign company.

The transfers occurred in two orders. The first order included seven employees, while the second included five.

They have been transferred from Chittagong Port to the same positions at Pangao Inland Container Terminal and Kamalapur Inland Container Depot in Keraniganj, Dhaka.

The order instructs the transferred employees to report to their new postings during the daytime shift on Monday.

The order states that the port authority has transferred them for “urgent official and operational work.”

On Saturday, the port authority also transferred four employees involved in the protests to Pangao ICT.

Humayun Kabir, a Jatiyotabadi Sramik Dal leader and coordinator of the council to protect the port, said “We are in a peaceful protest. Yet, the authorities have once again transferred seven employees today to suppress the movement.”

“We are not responsible for the port’s crisis,” he said, demanding immediate withdrawal of the transfer orders.

A two-day work stoppage began on Saturday in protest against the government’s decision to lease the NCT to the UAE-based company DP World.

Port operations were virtually paralysed due to the work stoppage. Normalcy returned to the port operations after 4pm.

Humayun said they decided to extend their work stoppage for one more day on Monday.