CPA given 15 days to meet workers demands

CHITTAGONG, August 27: Businesses are worried, as cargo handling in the Chittagong Port is likely to be disrupted following the port workers' 15-day ultimatum to accept their three-point charter of demands.
Ruling party leader ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury Wednesday addressed a huge rally of workers near the Bandar Bhaban, and announced that the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) was given 15 days from the day to meet the demands. Otherwise fresh agitation movement will be launched, he added.
Chattagram Bandar Raksha Parishad (CBRP), a platform recently formed to resist all operations of Saif Powertec in the port, called the rally near the CPA head-office gate. A dozen of CBRP leaders also addressed the programme.
As part of the programme workers will wear symbolic black badges from September 1 to 3, and also observe 12-hour hunger strike in front of the CPA office. On September 12 fresh programme will be announced, said Mr Mohiuddin, Chittagong city Awami League president.
He alleged that CPA has offered cargo handling in the New Mooring Container Terminal (NMCT) to Saif Powertec through violating the port's procurement rules.
The offer has been made under direct procurement method (DPM), while other berths have been offered through tender process, he added.
Mr Mohiuddin repeated his three demands, including blacklisting Saif Powertec, a private berth operator in the port, scrapping all contracts signed between CPA and the company, and run NMCT by CPA itself by procuring equipments from its own fund.
He said tenders have been called twice for offering the cargo and container handling activities to 12 private berths in general cargo berth (GCB). But no tender has been called in offering the cargo handling in NMCT.
He said he has sent letters to the prime minister, finance minister, shipping minister and shipping secretary, stating that CPA has failed to take action against Saif Powertec.
The company has breached the terms of contract by not resuming cargo handling in the Kamalapur ICD (inland container depot) after 18 months of signing deal, he added.
Meanwhile, businesses said the ultimatum announced in the workers' rally makes them worried. If the port's cargo handing is disturbed, it will affect the country's export and import, mainly those of the readymade garment (RMG) sector.
A leader of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said Saif Powertec has been offered two berths of NMCT without permanently fixing tender procedure, while its three other berths remain non-functional for years.
"The businesses have long been demanding full-swing operation of the Tk 7 billion NMCT. But dilly-dallying of the authority concerned in making the terminal operational causes sufferings to the exporters and importers, and thus affecting national economy."
"RMG export will suffer seriously following work suspension in the port, as 90 per cent of the RMG is exported through it."
The port activities have been going on steadily for the last five years. Any disruption in cargo handling in the port cannot be the goal of any sane man, he further stated.