After a year and a half of protests, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has revoked the permission to operate the Charpara Pontoon Jetty Ghat, a vital wharf utilised by lighter ship personnel.
The workers are now demanding that the port authorities run the jetty directly instead of leasing it to a private company as a result of the decision.
Originally built by the CPA, the Charpara jetty at Patenga served as a means of transferring labourers and daily supplies to and from lighter ships that were berthed outside the port. Through a bidding process, Sea Maritime Services was awarded the management contract, with an annual lease of Taka 1.1 crore. The jetty was turned over to the firm on 1st January 2022.
However, shortly after the lease agreement, lighter ship workers began protesting, demanding the cancellation of the lease. Their protests, which included several strikes, significantly disrupted the movement of goods from Chattogram Port on multiple occasions.
The lighter ship employees claim that Sea Maritime Services kept up their illegal toll collection for around a year and a half without renewing their licence. While not charging passengers, the corporation collected fees from sampans, or tiny boats, during that time. Employees of the company have fled into hiding following the Awami League government’s overthrow on 5th August.
A crucial hub for transit, the Charpara Pontoon Jetty is utilised by law enforcement, shipping agencies, customs officers, boat workers and visitors.
According to the Lighterage Sramik Union, around 2,500 lighter vessels transport goods from the outer anchorages of the Chittagong port. Approximately 600 of these vessels are anchored in the Patenga and Karnaphuli River, with around 7,200 labourers working on these ships. The jetty is also used by ship-handling operators and other personnel from the logistics sector.
According to the CPA, 32 ship handling operators are engaged in unloading goods from mother vessels to lighter vessels on the outer anchorage of the Chattogram port. About 2,500 workers work in the sector. They also use the Charpara pontoon jetty to come and go on mother vessels and lighter vessels.
