Chittagong Port’s staff, workers call fresh 24-hour strike against NCT lease to foreign handler

Workers protest the decision to hand over New Mooring Container Terminal management to UAE-based operator DP World

The Chittagong Port workers and employees have called another 24-hour strike in protest against the lease of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to a foreign company.

The Chittagong Port Protection Struggle Committee announced the industrial action on Tuesday morning, with the strike scheduled from 8am, marking the third consecutive day of work stoppage.

On Monday, port workers observed an eight-hour strike from 8am to 4pm.

Earlier, the port’s nationalist labour group had called similar eight-hour strikes on Saturday and Sunday to oppose the handover of NCT operations to UAE-based operator DP World.

Saturday’s strike had disrupted port operations significantly.

During Sunday’s strike, cargo and container handling at different jetties effectively came to a halt.

Entry of covered vans, lorries, and trailers for cargo delivery was blocked, resulting in operational stagnation at the port.

At a rally in front of the port building on Tuesday afternoon, Council Coordinator and General Secretary of the Port Nationalist Labour Group Md Ibrahim Khokon announced the fresh 24-hour strike plan.