The government on Wednesday deployed army at the Chittagong port to make it operational amid growing tension between private berth operators and dock workers, reported The Financial Express (Bangladesh).
The operators resumed their function at the berths on Wednesday afternoon after Shipping Minister M Shahjahan Khan broke the ongoing deadlock.
The port was partially non-operational as the dock workers refused to work under the private operators appointed last week until their demands, including recruitment of workers to the newly-hired six berth operating firms, and issuance of identity cards, were met.
Khan said the government resorted to move the troops to ensure smooth function at the port.
The minister did not say how long the troops would continue to stay at the port.
The minister said all the demands of the workers would be fulfilled gradually and those who would join by Wednesday their work can retain jobs for the next three years and would get identity cards.
The authorities also imposed a ban on rallies and processions in the port area and foiled a procession of agitating dock workers in the afternoon in the Nimtoli area near the port.
The clash continued for about 45 minutes and police picked up 27 workers while vandalising several cars.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police commissioner Abul Kashem said the ban was imposed to ensure smooth trading at the port.
The port was partially paralysed for the last six days as the berth operators appointed last week could not start operations due to non-cooperation of the dock workers.
The port has 16 jetties, of which 10 are container jetties and six are of general category. The dispute has put a halt to six general jetties and six container jetties.
Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) last week signed agreements with six berth operators to handle containers for the next three years amid the declining efficiency of the port.
The CPA has now appointed the new operators through tender system and each of the operators is expected to handle 225,000 TEUs.
The CPA had to take over the operations of the port to comply with a High Court order in May. In the meantime, the port efficiency declined including port-stay time that increased from 48 hours to about 60 hours.
The feeder vessel owners imposed surcharge of US$200 per container due to increased port-stay time.
The Chittagong port, the main seaport of the country, handles about 90 per cent of the total trade of Bangladesh and achieved an 8.55 per cent container handling growth in the last calendar year due to a rise in import volume.
The operators resumed their function at the berths on Wednesday afternoon after Shipping Minister M Shahjahan Khan broke the ongoing deadlock.
The port was partially non-operational as the dock workers refused to work under the private operators appointed last week until their demands, including recruitment of workers to the newly-hired six berth operating firms, and issuance of identity cards, were met.
Khan said the government resorted to move the troops to ensure smooth function at the port.
The minister did not say how long the troops would continue to stay at the port.
The minister said all the demands of the workers would be fulfilled gradually and those who would join by Wednesday their work can retain jobs for the next three years and would get identity cards.
The authorities also imposed a ban on rallies and processions in the port area and foiled a procession of agitating dock workers in the afternoon in the Nimtoli area near the port.
The clash continued for about 45 minutes and police picked up 27 workers while vandalising several cars.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police commissioner Abul Kashem said the ban was imposed to ensure smooth trading at the port.
The port was partially paralysed for the last six days as the berth operators appointed last week could not start operations due to non-cooperation of the dock workers.
The port has 16 jetties, of which 10 are container jetties and six are of general category. The dispute has put a halt to six general jetties and six container jetties.
Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) last week signed agreements with six berth operators to handle containers for the next three years amid the declining efficiency of the port.
The CPA has now appointed the new operators through tender system and each of the operators is expected to handle 225,000 TEUs.
The CPA had to take over the operations of the port to comply with a High Court order in May. In the meantime, the port efficiency declined including port-stay time that increased from 48 hours to about 60 hours.
The feeder vessel owners imposed surcharge of US$200 per container due to increased port-stay time.
The Chittagong port, the main seaport of the country, handles about 90 per cent of the total trade of Bangladesh and achieved an 8.55 per cent container handling growth in the last calendar year due to a rise in import volume.