Workers' strike disrupts container transport disrupted at 4 Ctg ICDs 

Container transport at four private inland container depots (ICDs) in Chattogram has been severely disrupted, as the operations of 150 vendor-operated prime movers remain suspended amid an ongoing strike by prime mover workers' union.

The strike, now in its second week, was called by prime mover drivers and helpers demanding formal appointment letters from vendor companies. 

As a result, movement of import and export containers between the port and affected ICDs has slowed significantly, delaying export shipments and forcing importers to bear additional costs for late deliveries and port storage fines.

The affected ICDs are Summit Alliance Port Limited (SAPL - East and West), Ocean Containers Ltd (OCL), and Vertex Offdock Logistics Services Ltd. 

Among these, SAPL (East), SAPL (West), and OCL are owned by the Summit Group.

According to depot authorities, these four ICDs operate around 200 prime movers – 50 owned by the depots and 150 rented from vendors. While depot-owned vehicles typically maintain formal employment procedures, most vendor-operated vehicles do not issue appointment letters, which sparked the current protest.

On the matter, Captain Kamrul Islam Mazumder, chief operating officer of Summit Alliance Port Limited, told The Business Standard, "More than 100 prime movers across our three depots are inoperative due to the strike. We are barely managing with our 22 depot-owned vehicles, but export container dispatches are being delayed."

Depot authorities noted that the workers' union has been applying pressure by targeting each depot in turn. A similar strike had earlier affected SAPL (East).

At Vertex Offdock, a six-day strike from 3 May to 8 May led to 350 missed export container shipments, according to Sheikh Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, AGM (operations) of the company.

"Although our 15 depot-owned vehicles resumed service on 9 May, 20 vendor-operated units remain idle due to the dispute over appointment letters," he said.

"Export delays continue due to the reduced fleet, and there is now a backlog of 6-7 days in clearing import containers from the port," he added.

The strike is also prompting some clients to shift their business to other ICDs, causing further financial losses, Moazzem said.

According to the Prime Mover Association, about 1,200 prime movers operate out of Chattogram Port, most supplied by private vendors. While depot-owned vehicles follow formal hiring practices, many vendor-operated units do not issue appointment letters despite existing agreements between vendors and the workers' union.

"Though institutionally owned units can issue appointment letters, it's difficult for individually owned vehicles to do the same," said Mohammad Harun, a vendor and prime mover owner. "But drivers and helpers are united now, and their work stoppage has put both depots and vendors in a tough spot."

Abul Khair, general secretary of the Chattogram District Prime Mover, Trailer, Concrete Mixer, Flat-Bed, Drum Truck Workers' Union, said, "We have a standing agreement with vendors to issue appointment letters. Since they are not complying, our workers will not operate their vehicles."

Chattogram's 19 private ICDs handle about 95% of the country's export cargo and a wide range of import goods such as rice, wheat, mustard seed, lentils, and scrap materials. The sector employs around 20,000 permanent and temporary workers, and dispatches nearly 2,500 TEU containers daily for export.