Why Ctg port prime mover workers go on strike so often

Infograph: TBS

Frequent work stoppages by prime mover workers in Chattogram Port impede port operations and create bottlenecks at the port and the 19 private Inland Container Depots (ICDs) in Chattogram, also known as off-docks.

In the latest incident, operations at the privately-owned Vertex Offdock Logistics Services Ltd were significantly hampered following an unannounced six-day work stoppage by prime mover drivers and their assistants.

The stoppage, which began on 3 May and saw a limited resumption of cargo transport on 9 May, caused considerable disruption to the flow of goods through the vital port.

The dispute originated over the outstanding payments of two former drivers at the Vertex depot, prompting the Chattogram Prime Mover and Flat-Bed Workers' Union to call for the cessation of work. As a direct consequence of the six-day strike, approximately 400 export-laden containers were unable to reach the port, ICD owners said. Conversely, over a hundred import-carrying and several hundred empty containers were stranded, unable to be moved to the depot.

This disruption has raised concerns about the timely arrival of export goods at transhipment hubs and their ultimate destinations in Europe and America, potentially leading to financial losses for exporters.

A similar incident occurred when a three-day transport blockade was enforced in Chattogram following an altercation between workers regarding parking on 4 February. Four container vessels departed the port without loading 1,756 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of export cargo and empty containers during this period. The disruption caused scheduling chaos for at least 5,000 export-bound containers, while an additional 5,000 import containers accumulated in the port yards due to delivery delays.

The 19 ICDs in Chattogram handle a significant volume of Bangladesh's trade, processing 95% of export goods and 50 types of import commodities, including rice, wheat, mustard seeds, chickpeas, lentils, and scrap metal. These off-dock facilities also expedite the clearance of Full Container Load cargo by allowing unloading and delivery outside the port area.

Over the past year, prime mover drivers and helpers have staged movement at several other depots, including Eastern Logistics, SAPL, Portlink, Nemsan, BM Container Depot and QNS Logistics. Of them, Eastern Logistics experienced a four-day stoppage, and SAPL faced a two-day work halt.

According to the Prime Mover Association, around 7,000 prime movers operate from Chattogram Port, with approximately 1,200 involved in transporting containers to and from the depots.

ICD owners blame workers 

Nurul Qaiyum Khan, president of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association, told TBS that the depots have been facing "unjust demands" from workers for the past three years.

He said almost all depots have experienced work stoppages in the last year, alleging that transport workers are deliberately targeting the ICD sector with their actions, making unreasonable demands on depot owners and then presenting new demands after one is met.

Echoing this sentiment, Captain Kamrul Islam Mazumder, chief operating officer of Summit Alliance Port Limited, a major ICD in Chattogram, said prime mover workers are intentionally targeting individual depots with their strike action. He confirmed that their depot also faced a two-day work stoppage this year.

In January, February, and April of this year, transport workers observed six work stoppages at the Summit depot, resulting in a total of 236 hours of suspended operations, he said.

Captain Mazumder further said the workers "do not want to abide by labour laws," seeking to work 24-hour shifts instead of the legally mandated eight hours and demanding wages and allowances according to their terms. He asserted that these "unjust and illegal demands" are enforced by disrupting depot operations, urging the relevant authorities to intervene to stop such activities.

Mohammad Abdus Sabbir Bhuiyan, assistant director of the Chattogram Divisional Labour Office, acknowledged that the recurring work stoppages in the depots are primarily due to issues surrounding the appointment letters and wages of transport workers.

He noted that both owners and workers accuse each other of violating labour laws. To address the situation, a meeting was recently convened by the Chattogram District Administration, resulting in a draft appointment letter for the workers.

Workers threaten tougher movement 

Selim Khan, president of the Chattogram District Prime Mover, Trailer, Concrete Mixer, Flatbed, Drum Truck Workers' Union, countered that ICD owners do not provide fair wages to workers. He warned of a larger-scale movement in the future if wages are not brought in line with labour laws.

Abul Khayer, general secretary of the union, alleged that depot owners engage in delaying tactics regarding the appointment letters and wages of prime mover workers. He said that despite multiple attempts to discuss these demands with the owners, they have been unresponsive, leaving the workers with no option but to resort to strikes and work stoppages.

CPA's intervention sought 

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association has appealed to the port authorities for intervention to halt the actions of prime mover drivers and their unions.

In a letter to the chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association president said the "arbitrary actions" of prime mover drivers and their union are jeopardising the timely loading of export-bound containers onto designated vessels.

Md Omar Faruque, secretary of the CPA, said that while they instruct relevant organisations in various meetings to ensure that port productivity is not affected by their programmes and strikes, they believe that such crises within the ICDs should be resolved through internal initiatives.