C T Online Desk: Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain encountered protests from port workers during his visit to Chittagong Port on Thursday (5 February).
Several hundred workers and employees blocked the adviser’s vehicle while protesting on the way to the port building. They also gathered and chanted slogans as the adviser attempted to enter the building.
The tension arose at around 10:45am when the adviser arrived on the port premises.
The adviser came to Chattogram to attend a meeting with stakeholders regarding the ongoing deadlock at the port.
Sources said Sakhawat Hossain arrived directly from Dhaka at Shah Amanat International Airport at around 10:15am. His vehicle reached the Customs Mor area near the port building at about 10:45am.
News of the shipping adviser’s visit had heightened tensions among the protesting workers and employees from the morning. Hundreds of workers gathered in areas surrounding the port building, including from Gate No. 4 of the jetty to Customs Mor.
Police, other law enforcement agencies, and the port’s own security personnel were deployed in greater numbers than usual from the morning to maintain order.
As soon as the adviser’s convoy reached Customs Mor, protesting workers and employees emerged from nearby areas and blocked the vehicles while chanting slogans.
At that time, Ibrahim Khokon and Humayun Kabir, coordinators of the Chattogram Port Protection Movement Committee, spoke with the adviser, who assured them of holding talks with them as well.
After being stopped for about 15 minutes, police formed a security cordon and escorted the vehicles into the port building.
Meanwhile, all activities at Chattogram Port remained completely suspended on Thursday due to the indefinite work stoppage called by the Chattogram Port Protection Movement Committee.
