Lighter Vessel Strike: 22 lakh tons of goods stuck in 96 ships

Dhaka (Oct 22, 2020): Water transport workers have been continuing countrywide strike for the third consecutive day on 11-point demand that left a huge amount of goods stuck in many ships across the country.       

According to port, at least 42 ships with one million tons of goods stranded at outer anchorage of Chattogram sea port till this morning and the number of stranded ships and amount of goods are increasing fast.

Besides, around 925 lighter vessels with around 12 lakh tons of goods are stuck at 39 jetties at different sea ports in the country.

Businesses are counting a huge amount of losses as almost 22 lakh tonnes of goods have been waiting to be unloaded at sea and river ports across the country.

If the workers do not withdraw their strike, there will be an acute disruption in the supply chain of a wide range of goods.

Bangladesh water transport workers on Tuesday went on a strike across the country for an indefinite period to meet their 11-point demand including implementation of the 2016 pay scale and safety.

They went on the strike suspending loading and unloading activities of goods-laden lighter vessels and oil tankers at different jetties including Chattogram and Mongla ports.

The workers and the owners could not reach a logical solution during their meeting and thus, the movement of all goods-laden vessels on the water way across the country was suspended from Monday midnight.

Meanwhile, the Chattogram Port Authority called for a meeting to be held with the owners and the leaders of the agitating workers this afternoon to reach an immediate solution to this end.

Such type of programme that turns the wheel of the economy is not good for the betterment of the country at all. The countrymen will be the ultimate sufferers due to the strike.

It is an unwise move to go for such programme over the issue as it harms the country’s overall economy and international trade significantly.