The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) convened an emergency meeting on Thursday morning amid growing worker dissatisfaction and a prolonged work stoppage that has disrupted operations at the country’s main seaport.
The meeting began around 11:30am in the conference room of the port building, chaired by Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain. Representatives from various organisations and institutions that regularly use the port attended the session.
Officials from all relevant departments, along with members of security agencies, law enforcement bodies, and labour representatives, were also present.
The indefinite work stoppage, which began on Wednesday morning, has brought all port operations to a halt, suspending import and export activities.
The Chattogram Port Protection Council has been observing a strike since 31 January in protest against the process of leasing the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) of Chattogram port to DP World.
According to a letter issued by the authority on Wednesday, the meeting was called to ensure the overall functioning of the port, address the stagnation in loading and unloading activities, and determine steps to manage the ongoing unrest.
When contacted, port officials declined to comment on the proceedings of the meeting.
Meanwhile, tight security measures were observed around the port building. A large number of law enforcers, including members of the army, were deployed at the entrance, restricting access to the area. A tense atmosphere prevailed.
