75 residential buildings at Mongla port in dilapidated condition

KHULNA, Nov 29: A total of 75 buildings and semi-pacca establishments of Mongla port workers colony are in high risk due to lack of maintenance for long. There is no electricity and water supply in these buildings. Port labourers are living in there with risk.
Estate Department of Mongla Port authority sources said that 5 five-storied, one 3-storied, 6 two-storied, 9 one-storied buildings and 12 tin-sheds were constructed at old Mongla Port residential area financed by Dock Labourer Management Board for the port labourers.
A total of 1,758 registered and 896 unregistered port workers with their families from different districts had been living in this residential area since 2008. The government has abolished the Dock Labourer Management Board of Mongla and Chittagong. Later the buildings were controlled by Mongla Port authority and the registration of the workers had been cancelled.
While visiting the residential area it was found that the workers are living with their families in high risk in the decrepit buildings. The port authority also hung notice in all the buildings as risky.  
A K Shabuddin, General Secretary of Mongla Port Sromik Shangha said that more than half of the workers have been retrenched and left the place with golden handshake and those who were not paid are still living in the buildings.  
Ali Azam (60), worker of the port said that the port authority has disconnected electric line and water supply since 2012 and hanged notice on June of the current year as the buildings are very risky. Moreover, we have no alternative to leave this building, because port authority did not pay our dues till today.
Howlader Zakir Hossain, Director of Mongla Port (works) said the workers have no legal right to stay in the colony after abolishion of the Dock Labourer Management Board.

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