CHITTAGONG, September 7: Former city mayor and president of Chittagong city Awami League ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury Sunday said Saif Powertec, engaged in cargo handling in the Chittagong Port, maintains close connection with the Pakistani intelligence agency - ISI.
He said this while inaugurating a 12-hour hunger strike on the port premises on Sunday morning. Chattagram Bandar Raksha Parishad (CBRP), a body of the workers formed to fight out Saif Powertec from the port and headed by Mr Mohiuddin, organized the programme. The hunger strike started at 10 am and lasted till 6 pm.
CBRP has also called a public meeting at Laldighi Moidan in the port-city on Wednesday afternoon to press home their demands. The ruling party leader launched a movement in August with the slogan - save the port, and fight out Saif Powertec.
He alleged that the berth operator has seized most of the port's containerized cargo handling activities in Chittagong Container Terminal, New Mooring Container Terminal, Dhaka Inland Container Depot, and Pangaon Inland Container Terminal, all operated by the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).
"The Pakistani intelligence agency has deployed its people in Saif Powertec to work in the Chittagong Port, a key and strategic installation of the country, raising controversy about the activities of CPA," he said. He also said the Pakistani agents in the guise of Saif Powertec have engaged some people in the country's main port to grab it in exchange of money.
"They have already grabbed the port, and are conspiring to destroy it. But it seems that the port authority has turned blind and deaf (to perceive the situation)." CBRP earlier observed various protest programmes and demonstrations, including wearing black badge and organising human chain and workers' rallies.
The organisation also gave 15 days ultimatum, from a press conference, to the government to meet its three-point charter of demands.
The fasting programme on Sunday was addressed, among others, by Ahad Chowdhury, Wahidullah Sarkar and Amal Mitra.
