Meghna Group faces hurdles amid prime mover operators' strike for permanent job

A strike led by drivers and helpers operating prime movers for Meghna Group of Industries (MGI), who are demanding permanent employment, is causing significant operational disruptions and financial strain for the group, according to officials. 

The operators of MGI prime movers have been on strike since 29 June due to the group's refusal to provide permanent employment contracts.

MGI Senior Deputy General Manager Mizanur Rahman told TBS that as of 11 July, over 100 containers of imported goods remain stuck at Chattogram port. Unable to unload these containers on time, the group is incurring additional fees to port authorities. Combined with shipping and other charges, the losses have exceeded Tk1 crore. 

He also said imported raw materials needed at factories across Bangladesh could not be transported from the port due to the strike.

Prime movers are heavy-duty vehicles or trucks commonly used in logistics and transportation for loading, unloading, and moving cargo between locations.

Jahangir Alam, a prime mover driver at Meghna Group, told TBS, "I have been driving a trailer for this company for 12 years, yet we have not received any employment letter from them."

"That is why we are on a strike and are protesting for various demands, including permanent employment. Despite a meeting mediated by the Labour Department, Meghna Group remains unwilling to grant us permanent employment," he added.

The strike situation has escalated as the labour union – representing workers of prime mover trailers, concrete mixers, flatbeds, and drum trucks in Chattogram – has urged transport service providers to cease renting their vehicles to MGI.

Abul Khair, the general secretary of the labour union representing workers of prime mover trailers, concrete mixers, flatbeds, and drum trucks in Chattogram, said that while driver helpers received permanent appointment letters at other industrial establishments, Meghna Group did not provide such letters. Consequently, the workers are not receiving benefits as per government regulations.

Regarding the letter to transport owners for not supplying vehicles to Meghna Group for the transportation of goods, the labour leader said that initially, the union issued such a directive, but later it was withdrawn.

MGI has engaged in multiple meetings with labour union leaders in response to the ongoing crisis, but there was no solution, said MGI Senior Deputy General Manager Mizanur Rahman. 

Finally, MGI has sought assistance from law enforcement and the Department of Labour to resolve the deadlock and expedite the transportation of essential commodities, including sugar and edible oil, which have been stuck at the port for days, he said.

"Essential imported raw materials like sugar, edible oil, and chemicals failed to reach Meghna Group factories promptly from the port, causing production disruptions," Mizanur said.

According to sources within Meghna Group, the company utilises a fleet of 55 prime movers to unload imported goods from Chattogram port, transporting them to factories nationwide.

Approximately 120 drivers and assistants are responsible for operating these prime movers. They began a strike on 29 June, with a nine-point demand including permanent jobs.

Initially, MGI managed to keep goods moving by renting prime movers from different transport companies. 

However, on 2 July, a labour union in Chattogram wrote to various transport companies, requesting them not to rent trailers to the group, effectively halting the transportation of goods altogether.

According to Chattogram port sources, importers are allowed to store containers of imported goods in the port yard free of charge for the first four days. After this period, the cost of storing a 20-foot container is $6 per day for the first week. Subsequently, the daily charge increases to $12 for the following week, and from the 21st day onwards, it rises to $24 per day.

Mizanur Rahman said that the group has accepted eight out of nine demands from the workers. Additionally, they have agreed to issue employment letters to the workers, adhering to a six-month probationary period as stipulated by the Labor Act. However, the workers are adamant about receiving permanent employment letters.

He also mentioned that a meeting took place on 10 July at the Department of Labour's Chattogram divisional office. However, the meeting ended unsuccessfully due to the department director's lack of cooperation.

Shafiqur Rahman, assistant director at the Department of Labour's Chattogram divisional office, told TBS, "Two meetings were held on 8 and 10 July regarding the demands of the Meghna Group workers. Although the workers insisted on permanent employment letters, Meghna Group agreed to issue temporary employment letters, which the workers did not accept."

"We urged the workers to return to work, but they declined," added Shafiqur Rahman.

Officials from the Department of Labour fear that this crisis could escalate if the workers and the management of Meghna Group fail to resolve the issue through mutual agreement. Therefore, they have urged both parties to reach a compromise by offering concessions.