Ctg Port workers resume indefinite strike, all operations halted

Chattogram Port workers and employees resumed their indefinite strike this morning (8 February) after a two-day pause, demanding the cancellation of DP World's lease of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT).

The strike restarted at 8am, and as workers refrained from joining duties, all operations at the port's three terminals and outer anchorage have come to a complete halt.

Workers have taken positions at different locations across the port area. To reinforce security, a large number of law enforcement personnel have been deployed, along with armoured police vehicles and water cannons kept on standby. A tense situation is prevailing throughout the port area.

Although no clashes had been reported since morning, Ibrahim Khokon, coordinator of the Port Protection Movement Council, alleged that two labour leaders were arrested by Detective Branch (DB) police late Saturday night.

However, the Detective Branch of police and Port Police have not yet confirmed the arrests.

Meanwhile, a meeting between port workers and the Chattogram Port Authority chairman, scheduled to be held at the port auditorium at 9:30am, has yet to begin, as labour leaders announced a boycott of the meeting.

Another coordinator of the Port Protection Council, Humayun Kabir, alleged that members of the law enforcement agencies were forcibly picking up workers from their residences in the Port Colony area and taking them to the auditorium for the meeting.

Previously, after six consecutive days of work abstention, workers and employees resumed work for two days on Friday (6 February) following a high-stakes meeting with Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain. However, labour coordinators announced that the strike would resume from today unless the government retreats from its plan to lease NCT to Dubai-based DP World.

Meanwhile, Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) on Friday sought an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into the movable and immovable assets of 15 port employees involved in the recent protest programmes, while also requesting a travel ban to prevent them from leaving the country.

In the letter, the CPA alleged the employees were involved in activities "against the state" and said investigations into their actions were already underway. It requested that relevant offices and agencies be informed to ensure the individuals are barred from travelling abroad.

The six-day continuous work stoppage led to container backlogs and vessel congestion. Business leaders say that this could lead to irreparable damage to the economy. The disruption has already inflicted significant economic damage, according to business leaders, who estimate losses of at least Tk3,000 crore.