Workers Announce Blockade at Chittagong Port Protesting Lease of Facilities to Foreign Firms

The decision to cancel the lease of various installations of Chittagong Port to foreign entities has led to the announcement of protest programs. On Wednesday (November 26), the Sramik–Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) has called for a blockade at all entry points of the port.

On that day, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., a total blockade will be enforced at three entry points of the Chittagong Port—Agrabad, Boropool, and Milematha. Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, General Secretary of the Divisional Workers' Party and former General Secretary of the Port CBA, has urged all workers and employees to unite and take part in the blockade.

In addition, SKOP has also announced district-wide protest programs demanding the implementation of its nine-point demands for protecting the port and ensuring workers’ rights.

These programs were announced by Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, General Secretary of the Divisional Workers' Party and former General Secretary of the Port CBA, during the SKOP workers' convention on Saturday (November 22) afternoon.

Nurullah Bahar said, “The High Court judges have clearly stated that no further steps can be taken regarding the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT). Yet the government is not following the High Court’s directive. We have heard that on November 25, 26, and 27, a meeting has been called in Dhaka to sign an agreement with DP World regarding the New Mooring Container Terminal. It is being said that vetting will be done on the 26th and the agreement will be signed on the 27th.”

Addressing the interim government, Nurullah Bahar said, “Two terminals have already been handed over. No one knows how. A case has been filed regarding the New Mooring Terminal. The court has ordered that all agreement-related activities must remain suspended until the hearing. But this order is not being followed. SKOP, the Port Protection Committee, left alliances—everyone is protesting regarding the port.”

Speeches were also delivered at the convention by SKOP Joint Coordinator and President of Bangladesh National Workers Alliance Abdul Kader Hawlader, General Secretary of the National Workers Alliance Mezbah Uddin Ahmed, President of the Nationalist Workers Party Anwar Hossain, President of the National Workers Alliance—Bangladesh Saifuzzaman Badsha, Member of the Labor Reform Commission and Vice President of Bangladesh Trade Union Centre Tapan Dutta, SKOP Joint Coordinator and General Secretary of Socialist Workers Front Ahsan Habib Bulbul, General Secretary of Bangladesh Workers Federation A. A. M. Fayez Hossain, and BNP Workers Party’s Publicity and Publication Secretary Manzurul Islam Manju.

In his keynote address, Chairman of the Labor Reform Commission Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed said, “We need a national manifesto addressing all issues—denationalization of Chittagong Port, leasing out jute mills, selling state-owned enterprises, shutting down government factories, and demands related to workers’ rights. Business owners must also come forward in this movement to protect the port. The responsibility of saving the port lies with them too. When it comes to street protests, it cannot be only the workers’ responsibility, while after the movement ends, it becomes the business owners’ responsibility.”

“I urge that after the blockade program on the 26th, let us all sit together in Dhaka. Business owners must attend as well. We must keep this struggle alive. All workers’ organizations must unite under one platform. I appreciate the initiative taken by SKOP. Everyone must agree on all issues related to workers' rights and continue a long-term movement.”

SKOP presented its nine-point demands at the convention. These included complete freedom for workers’ organizations and trade union activities, a unified labor law, an end to unjust dismissal and harassment, setting minimum wage at 30,000 taka and introducing dearness allowance, reopening closed state-owned industries, and ending outsourcing.

Additionally, demands were made for ensuring workers’ ration, housing, pensions, hospitals, women’s dormitories, and unemployment benefits.

It is noteworthy that on November 17, the government signed a 33-year agreement with a Danish company named APM Terminals for the construction and operation of a terminal at Laldiar Char in Chittagong Port. The agreement includes the option to extend the tenure for an additional 15 years. On the same day, an agreement was signed with a Swiss company to operate the Pangaon river terminal in Keraniganj for 22 years.