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Download PDF Operations at Chittagong port came almost to a standstill yesterday as the Awami League (AL)- led 14- party combine enforced a countrywide rail, road and port blockade.
Activities at Mongla port and all land ports including Benapole were also hampered due to the indefinite blockade programme to press home the combine’s 11-point demand for ensuring free and fair elections.
The business community is worried over the persisting political stalemate that is having crippling effects on all economic activities, including port operations.
“Ports should be kept out of the purview of all political programmes,” said Mir Nasir Hossain, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, he said Chittagong port is the lifeline of the national economy, and its operation should not be hampered. Activities of this port were not halted even during the struggle for independence in 1971, he added.
The FBCCI said the country suffers a loss of nearly Tk 500 crore per day due to such work stoppage programmes.
They would make an appeal to political leaders, including Mayor of Chittagon Mohiuddin Chowdhury, to keep the country’s premier port free from any political agitation.
According to sources, loading and unloading of cargo on a limited scale took place at the port yesterday but delivery of goods in and out of the port stopped completely.
Activities at Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) however remained suspended since November 12 due to the 14-partry blockade and a serious row over operation of four gantry cranes.
The port operated partially for four days from November 16 due to suspension of the programme.
At Mongla port, cargo handling took place but delivery of goods was stopped. A ship– M V Western Sea– left the port yesterday morning while another ship — M V Sakura Harmonyanchored, sources said.
A Thai flag carrier– Chada Nari — is waiting at the jetty for export cargo.
In Chittagong, nine gearless ships that cannot handle cargo without gantry cranes have been stuck up due to non-functioning of the cranes.
The ships are loaded with around 6,000 containers with import goods, mainly raw materials for garment items.
Two of the ships –Eagle Poineer and Eagle Progress– are at the container jetty and seven are at the outer anchorage.
Port sources however claimed that a large number of containers entered the port yard in the last four days and those are being handled. Besides, a number of containers were released from the port yard during this time, creating space for other containers.
Some ships also sailed with export items and some others anchored at the port jetty. Two ships — Dali and Cape Hanry– left the port yesterday morning with around 1,300 containers, sources said.
To two local flag carrier vessels– Banga Biraj and Banga Lanka– anchored at the port jetty with 1,100 TEUs containers yesterday.
As cargo handling inside the port has been kept out of the purview of current political programme, port workers may be able to unload a few containers from the anchored ships.
Meanwhile, dock workers have kept the CCT besieged demanding cancellation of the agreement signed with a private company– Saif Powertec Ltd — for operating four gantry cranes.
The port authorities have been negotiating with the agitating workers and the private company for an amicable solution to the problem.
The company has served a notice demanding Tk 50 lakh as compensation for suspension of work for the first five days without any ‘valid reason’.
They will serve another notice demanding Tk 10 lakh as compensation per day if the suspension of work continues. “But we want to settle the dispute amicably,” said Tarafdar Ruhul Amin, managing director of the company.
The business community also issued a joint statement yesterday and re-iterated their call to the president and chief advisor to the care taker government for taking immediate steps for a practical solution to the existing political impasse.
They threatened of launching a united protest programme comprising representatives of business leaders from all over the country if the existing crisis is not solved immediately.
President of Bangladesh Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry FBCCI Mir Nasir Hossain, President of Metro Politan Chamber of Commerce and industry MCCI Latifur Rahman, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry DCCI M A Momen, president of Bangladesh Garments Mnaufacturers and Exporters Association BGMEA S M Fazlul Haque were among the top leaders who signed the statement.
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