Banglabandha trade comes to a halt as workers block road

Trading through Banglabandha and Phulbari land ports came to a halt yesterday after a labour union blocked Banglabandha-Panchagarh road, demanding work opportunities at the port.
The agitation programme left about 50 goods trucks stranded on the borders of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
The angry workers besieged Abul Hashim Prodhan, assistant revenue officer at Banglabandha LC Station, for hours.
A section of workers of Tentulia formed an organisation, Tentulia Load-Unload Kuli Mojdur Sramik Union, in 2003, but members of the union never got an opportunity to work at the port due to shortage of work, said C&F agents of Banglabandha port.
As business activities at the port have increased recently, they went to the port and demanded work.
Contacted Md Alam, general secretary of Tentulia Load-Unload Kuli Mojdur Sramik Union, said the agitation programme will continue until the authorities provide work opportunities for their members.
A negotiation meeting was held at Banglabandha Dakbanglo on Thursday that ended without any agreement. The meeting however decided to sit again on Sunday at the same place, said Prodhan.