Dhaka, May 12, 2010 (SANS Correspondent):
The ongoing strike by a section of water transport workers is seriously impacting both sea and air ports. Unloading at the Mongla port is almost at a halt and least 23 ships are waiting at the outer anchorage of the Chittagong port for unloading. Shahjalal International Airport had notified all operators that it would not be possible to refuel aircraft after midnight Tuesday given their low stock.
However on the fifth day of the strike most of the passenger launches scheduled to leave Sadarghat terminal have already left.
Kazi Abdus Salam, assistant manager (Traffic) of the Mongla port said that although five ships carrying food, and one ship carrying fertilizer have anchored at the port, they are not being unloaded as work at the mooring has been suspended for the last five days. Unloading from a container ship is going ahead as it anchored at the jetty, he told. Nearly 200 cargo ships, coasters and barges are sitting idle in and around the Mongla port.
Syed Forhad Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the Chittagong port authority told that there are 23 ships waiting at the outer anchorage of the port and failing to unload as the lighter vessels used for this purpose are not available due to the strike.
The strike is also threatening airline operations in Dhaka's international airport.
Shahjalal International Airport had notified all operators that it would not be possible to refuel aircraft after midnight Tuesday given their low stock. On Tuesday, the director of the airport, Wing Commander Sayeedul Hasan Khan, told bdnews24.com citing a notice dated May 9 from Padma Oil, the main supplier of jet fuel, that the strike has prevented oil transportation and unloading from tankers.
In Sadarghat seven out of ten launches scheduled to leave the terminal had left by 11am. A total of 16 launches arrived at the terminal, said the traffic inspector of Sadarghat Mahtab Uddin.
The strike started on Friday midnight as the Noujan Sramik Federation rejected a government announcement of a new pay scale increasing wages by between 50 to100 percent against a demand from them of a 300-350 percent rise. Some unions have already agreed to the pay hike.
Shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, however, had termed the strike 'irrational' as it was called even after declaring the new pay scale. On Sunday the minister called for the workers to call off the strike and to sit in a meeting. The workers rejected the call and demanded the resignation of the minister.
On Monday, the federation's acting president Shah Alam was arrested on Monday in a case for vandalising the office of the pro-government Noujan Sramik League which had filed a case on Sunday against 125 federation members.
Abul Kashem Master, joint secretary of the Noujan Sramik Federation told that they will continue the strike until their leader Shah Alam is released and their demands are met.
However on the fifth day of the strike most of the passenger launches scheduled to leave Sadarghat terminal have already left.
Kazi Abdus Salam, assistant manager (Traffic) of the Mongla port said that although five ships carrying food, and one ship carrying fertilizer have anchored at the port, they are not being unloaded as work at the mooring has been suspended for the last five days. Unloading from a container ship is going ahead as it anchored at the jetty, he told. Nearly 200 cargo ships, coasters and barges are sitting idle in and around the Mongla port.
Syed Forhad Uddin Ahmed, secretary of the Chittagong port authority told that there are 23 ships waiting at the outer anchorage of the port and failing to unload as the lighter vessels used for this purpose are not available due to the strike.
The strike is also threatening airline operations in Dhaka's international airport.
Shahjalal International Airport had notified all operators that it would not be possible to refuel aircraft after midnight Tuesday given their low stock. On Tuesday, the director of the airport, Wing Commander Sayeedul Hasan Khan, told bdnews24.com citing a notice dated May 9 from Padma Oil, the main supplier of jet fuel, that the strike has prevented oil transportation and unloading from tankers.
In Sadarghat seven out of ten launches scheduled to leave the terminal had left by 11am. A total of 16 launches arrived at the terminal, said the traffic inspector of Sadarghat Mahtab Uddin.
The strike started on Friday midnight as the Noujan Sramik Federation rejected a government announcement of a new pay scale increasing wages by between 50 to100 percent against a demand from them of a 300-350 percent rise. Some unions have already agreed to the pay hike.
Shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, however, had termed the strike 'irrational' as it was called even after declaring the new pay scale. On Sunday the minister called for the workers to call off the strike and to sit in a meeting. The workers rejected the call and demanded the resignation of the minister.
On Monday, the federation's acting president Shah Alam was arrested on Monday in a case for vandalising the office of the pro-government Noujan Sramik League which had filed a case on Sunday against 125 federation members.
Abul Kashem Master, joint secretary of the Noujan Sramik Federation told that they will continue the strike until their leader Shah Alam is released and their demands are met.
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