Container transport from Ctg port resumes after 34 hours

Transportation of export and import container loads to and from Chattogram port resumed after a 34-hour suspension on the afternoon of October 22, following the postponement of an ongoing strike enforced by container-carrying prime mover drivers.

Meanwhile, a container vessel deferred its scheduled departure from the port on the same day after failing to receive a sufficient number of export-loaded containers that could not be transported from private depots due to the strike.

The Colombo-bound HR Aarai was supposed to take 956 TEUs of export-laden containers on board but managed to load only 385 TEUs by Sunday night.

Despite waiting through Monday and into yesterday morning, no more containers were received. Consequently, the vessel opted to stay an additional day, said Ismail Ahmed, manager of the ship's operating firm, HR Lines.

For the extra day's stay at the jetty, it would have to pay around $4,000 to the port authority, he added.

Another vessel, Em Stepses, left the port yesterday at noon for Singapore, leaving over 100 TEUs of export-laden containers behind, as these containers could not be transported to the port from the depots, according to the shipping agent.

Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) Secretary General Ruhul Amin Sikder stated that not a single export or import container could be transported between the 20 private ICDs and the port since the strike was enforced on Monday morning.

The Chattogram District Prime Mover Trailer, Concrete Mixer, Flatbed, Dump Truck Workers Union enforced the 48-hour strike at 6:00 am on Monday, demanding the issuance of appointment letters and identity cards by the owners, along with the implementation of proper work hours and a minimum wage.

Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Member (Harbour) Commodore M. Fazlar Rahman called a tripartite meeting at his office around 11:30 am yesterday.

Representatives of the prime mover owners, workers' associations, and the Department of Labour attended the meeting, which ended at 4:00 pm. Following the productive meeting, union leaders announced they would postpone the strike until Thursday morning.

After attending the meeting, Union President Md. Selim Khan told The Daily Star, "We are not withdrawing the strike, rather we are postponing our program until Thursday morning, when another tripartite meeting will be held at the office of the Chittagong Port Authority Chairman to discuss our demands."

The upcoming meeting will aim to find lawful solutions to issues such as the issuance of appointment letters, identity cards, and other demands.

He expressed hope that their demands would be met during that meeting. However, he warned that if Thursday's meeting does not yield a solution, they would resume the strike.

Despite the strike, the movement of bulk cargo to and from the port remained unaffected, as other vehicles continued to operate. CPA Secretary Md. Omar Faruk mentioned that container handling at the port jetties continued smoothly during the strike.