C&F agents on strike at Mongla port

C&F workers at the Mongla port have gone on an indefinite strike in protest against harassment by customs officials.

The strike was called by the C&F Workers Union on Wednesday afternoon.

The Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association has backed the move.

Khulna Customs Commissioner Md Al Amin Pramanik held a meeting with the protesters on Thursday afternoon to resolve the problem.

Mongla Port Authorities Director (Traffic) Kazi Muktadir Hossain told bdnews24.com that, at present, ten ships, carrying fertilizer and clinkers, were berthed at the port.

“The C&F agents have unloaded the ship but the delivery work has stopped. Container handling, however, remains undisrupted,” he said.

Mongla Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association President Sultan Hossain Khan said that, on May 13, an agent, M/S Al Mamun Enterprise, imported tri-cycle parts.

“After paying the duties, the agent began unloading the containers when the customs officials came on a second inspection.”

He complained that harassment of port users by them had become a regular affair.

Importers were incurring losses for not being able to release their goods in time, he alleged.

“Chittagong port inspects only ten percent of the imported goods, whereas importers at our port are being harassed in the name of 100 percent inspection.”

The finance minister had been requested to look into the matter, said Sultan Hossain.

The Association’s General Secretary Mahmudul Ahsan Tito said, “We are losing our goodwill because of delays and the government is being deprived of revenue.”

C&F Workers Union President Md Khaled Robi said the strike would continue till steps were taken to end harassment.