Govt moves to check piracy, pilferage around Ctg Port

CHITTAGONG, Mar 21: The government is going to form a committee shortly to find out ways to check pilfering of goods from ships at the outer anchorage of the Chittagong Port and its peripheries including the coastal belt of Chittagong and Cox'sBazar. The committee will comprise representatives from Rapid Action Battalion, police, Coast Guard, Chittagong Port security, Bangladesh Navy, Shipping Directorate, shipping agents association, lightering vessels, dock workers union and other stakeholders. Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Abul Kashem said this at a view exchange meeting at the CMP Headquarter in the city on Monday. Meanwhile, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Abdul Karim has convened a meeting of the heads of concerned government and non-government organisations at Dhaka on March 24. CMP Commissioner said that such view exchange meeting is part of those meetings that take some crucial decisions relating to pilferage and piracy. Port security department earlier decided to employ 650 trained watchmen on board the mother vessels at the outer anchorage to restrict pilferage of valuable parts from the ships but the decision was stayed by the High Court following a case filed by Marine Contractors Association.