Ctg port's Charpara jetty licence cancelled after long protest

The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has cancelled the licence of handling the Charpara Pontoon Jetty Ghat, a key wharf used by lighter ship workers, after one and a half years of protests.

The decision made on Tuesday has now led the workers to demand that the jetty be managed directly by the port authorities rather than being leased to another commercial entity.

The Charpara jetty in Patenga was originally constructed by the CPA to facilitate the transportation of workers and daily necessities to and from lighter ships anchored outside the port. Its management was handed over to Sea Maritime Services through a tender process, with an annual lease of Tk1.1 crore. The company took charge of the jetty on 1 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.

According to the lighter ship workers, Sea Maritime Services continued to collect tolls illegally for about a year and a half without renewing their licence. During the period, the company charged fees from sampans (small boats) while refraining from charging passengers. The company's personnel have gone into hiding after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August.

Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Lighterage Workers' Union, told TBS the lease led to the collection of tolls ranging from Tk100 to Tk500 from sampan operators, depending on the distance travelled. Additionally, labourers had to pay over Tk200 to reach the coast, which was a significant financial burden for low-income workers.

"We have demanded that the port authorities not lease the wharf to any other commercial entity. We believe that if the jetty is managed under the direct supervision of the Chattogram Port Authority, the harassment will end," said Mizanur Rahman.

According to the CPA, Sea Maritime Services failed to renew its licence after its initial term expired on 31 December 2022.

Md Omar Faruk, secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority, said that no decision has been made yet regarding the future management of the jetty after the cancellation of the lease.

The Charpara Pontoon Jetty is a vital transportation hub used by boat workers, customs officials, shipping agents, law enforcement personnel and tourists.

 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.

Efforts to contact Jaydev Chandra Roy, proprietor of Sea Maritime Services, for comment were unsuccessful.