AROUND 10,000 dockers at Bangadesh’s biggest port went on strike this week after reports that ports multinational Stevedoring Services of America has been awarded a $500m concession to build a new container terminal. The walk-out at Chittagong on Wednesday (28 June) took place after press reports that the deal is to be confirmed shortly.
A port official confirmed that the stoppage had resulted in a total shut down. Some two dozens vessels were caught up in the dispute.
SSA is planning to build Bangladesh’s first private container terminal on a 200 acres site at Chittagong, 220 kilometers southeast of Dhaka. Proponents argue that it is needed to ease congestion problems at the port. The project - which has been mooted since 1997 - was put on hold last year on account of widespread local opposition.
But it now seems set to go ahead despite failure to secure backing from the citys mayor, who is aligned to the ruling Awami League party. SSA, founded in 1949, has over 150 0perations worldwide, including the US, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
