Workers again halt Ctg port operation over bonus
Saturday, 19 September 2009
FE Report
The Chittagong port operation came to a grinding halt again for at least six hours Friday following work abstention by a section of workers to enhance Eid bonus, largely disrupting its loading and unloading activities.
Earlier on Thursday, hundreds of stevedores along with employees' union, staged work abstention for about 12-hours for increased bonus. However, they withdrew their programme at around 8:00 pm on the day after meeting with the port authority and the berth operators.
However, lashing and unlashing labourers, who work on board of ships, stopped their work at about 8:00 am Friday, demanding a festival bonus of Tk 3,500 each.
"Some lash workers stopped their routine work Friday morning, demanding increased bonus from the berth operators. I instantly visited the port and urged the workers to continue their work," said Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) chairman Commodore RU Ahmed.
Around 250 workers lash and unlash containers on board at the Chittagong port that handles around 90 per cent of the country's US$ 37 billion external trade.
Sources said the labourers resumed work after the CPA assured them to enhance their bonus in the next Eid festival, to be held two months later.
When contacted, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president MA Latif told the FE: "I think vested quarters are behind the incidents. Whoever controls the quarters, we will take punitive action against them on behalf of our government. None will be allowed to play with the investment situation and ruin the national economy."
Sources said four container-carrying ships, scheduled to leave the port Friday, had failed to do it, following the work abstention of lashing and unlashing workers. The ships are Stadt Hamburg of CMA-CGM, Cota Ratna of PIL, Frida Sehulte of APL and Hanse Calypso of Seaconsortium.
Besides, Amu River, a feeder vessel carrying around 800 containers, had to stay one day at outer anchorage following the work abstention.
"How will we continue our business, when we have to face such work abstention now and then?" PIL country director Captain Md Rafiqul Islam asked.
A senior official of the Maersk Line said, "We, the feeder operators are facing various irregularities after assumption of the democratic government, and this work abstention has worsened the situation."
The Chittagong port operation came to a grinding halt again for at least six hours Friday following work abstention by a section of workers to enhance Eid bonus, largely disrupting its loading and unloading activities.
Earlier on Thursday, hundreds of stevedores along with employees' union, staged work abstention for about 12-hours for increased bonus. However, they withdrew their programme at around 8:00 pm on the day after meeting with the port authority and the berth operators.
However, lashing and unlashing labourers, who work on board of ships, stopped their work at about 8:00 am Friday, demanding a festival bonus of Tk 3,500 each.
"Some lash workers stopped their routine work Friday morning, demanding increased bonus from the berth operators. I instantly visited the port and urged the workers to continue their work," said Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) chairman Commodore RU Ahmed.
Around 250 workers lash and unlash containers on board at the Chittagong port that handles around 90 per cent of the country's US$ 37 billion external trade.
Sources said the labourers resumed work after the CPA assured them to enhance their bonus in the next Eid festival, to be held two months later.
When contacted, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) president MA Latif told the FE: "I think vested quarters are behind the incidents. Whoever controls the quarters, we will take punitive action against them on behalf of our government. None will be allowed to play with the investment situation and ruin the national economy."
Sources said four container-carrying ships, scheduled to leave the port Friday, had failed to do it, following the work abstention of lashing and unlashing workers. The ships are Stadt Hamburg of CMA-CGM, Cota Ratna of PIL, Frida Sehulte of APL and Hanse Calypso of Seaconsortium.
Besides, Amu River, a feeder vessel carrying around 800 containers, had to stay one day at outer anchorage following the work abstention.
"How will we continue our business, when we have to face such work abstention now and then?" PIL country director Captain Md Rafiqul Islam asked.
A senior official of the Maersk Line said, "We, the feeder operators are facing various irregularities after assumption of the democratic government, and this work abstention has worsened the situation."