Workers\\\' leader held as strike in lighter ghat godowns on

CHITTAGONG, Dec 1: Strike of the lightering vessels' ghat godown workers passed its second day today when a leader of the Ghat Gudam Sramik Sangram Union was arrested following clashes between two groups of workers in Sadarghat area of the city.

The workers of the two factions resorted to chase and counter-chase as the striking workers tried to obstruct the non-striking workers when they were going to their duties in the ghat godown area. There was, however, no report of injury, police said.

Un-stuffing of cargo has remained suspended since yesterday morning in a section of the lightering vessels that has disrupted natural flow of cargo from the port to other destinations.

Ghat godown workers unload cargo from the lighter vessels to the nearby storehouses and trucks for delivery to different destinations. Lighter vessels lighter the cargo from the big vessels anchored at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port.

The police arrested Idris Ali, convener of a faction of the lightering ghat godown workers, as he had instigated other workers to launch attack on the non-striking workers, Sadarghat police said.

They not only obstructed the non-striking workers but also laid siege to the road in the afternoon forcing other vehicles to ply in the area.

Idris Ali and his supporters in the union have been on strike in 12 ghats in the Karnaphuli River from Sunday morning forcing suspension of un-stuffing cargo from the lighterage vessels, to press home their demands that include 50 per cent wage enhancement, scheduled to be implemented from January 2014, police said.

There are 16 ghats in Banglabazar-Majhirghat-Sadarghat area in the Karnaphuli River where the lightering vessels anchor for delivery of cargo to the warehouses by trucks.