Bangladesh Covered Van-Truck-Prime Mover Goods Transport Owners Association and Bangladesh Truck Driver Workers Federation have called off a nationwide strike demanding 15 points.
After the meeting of the leaders of Bangladesh Truck and Covered Van Owners and Workers Associations with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan the strike was called off. After about 34 hours, the port area has returned to its old look with the busyness of freight trucks-covered vans and container-carrying prime movers.
Cargo vehicles started arriving and departing at the port from 4.30 pm on Wednesday. Prime mover operation in NCT and CCT starts at 5 p.m.
Bangladesh Truck Driver Workers Federation President Talukder Mohammad Monir said they had called off the strike after the government assured them of implementing the demand.
Chattogram Port Authority Director (Transport) Enamul Karim said vehicles carrying about 1,000 goods inside the port were waiting for the strike to be called off. They start leaving the port from 4.30 pm. The empty car was then loaded into the port. At this time there was some traffic jam on the roads around the port.
He said activities at the terminal, jetty and shed inside the port were normal during the transport strike.
Due to the strike from 6 am on Tuesday, no cargo truck, covered van, prime mover could enter or leave the Chittagong port like the rest of the country. This virtually shut down container transport to and from 19 private container depots inside and outside the port. Concerns have been raised among port users including importers, garment exporters, C&F agents, shipping agents, berth operators. The news of the withdrawal of the strike has brought relief to those concerned.
Talukdar Md Monir, President of Bangladesh Truck Driver Workers Federation and Mukbul Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Covered Van-Truck-Prime Mover Transport Association announced the withdrawal of the last strike at a meeting of Home Truck and Covered Van Owners-Workers Unity Council leaders with Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan in the conference room of the Home Ministry at noon on Wednesday.
The 15 demands include stopping the advance income tax on trucks and covered vans, refunding the advance income tax levied so far and arranging for licensing of closed truck and covered van drivers.