Sonamasjid land port workers observe strike
Trucks carrying goods imported from India lie idle at Sonamasjid land port in Chapainawabganj district yesterday, as loading and unloading remained suspended during the daylong strike enforced by port workers in protest against attack on them by drug smugglers on Tuesday. Photo: STAR
Loading and unloading of goods at Sonamasjid land port came to a halt for 12 hours yesterday as port workers enforced a strike protesting attack on five workers by drug smugglers at Koilabari truck terminal in Shibganj upazila on Tuesday evening.
The workers came under attack when they challenged a gang of drug smugglers who were loading phensidyl onto a goods-laden truck that reached the terminal from the land port at around 7:00pm.
At least five workers were injured in the attack. They are Kamal Hossain, 30, Fajar Ali, 40, Mohammad Sohbul, 28, Shamim Mirza, 30, and Mohammad Kazim, 35. Of them, Kamal Hossain sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital.
Soon after the incident, port workers stopped loading and unloading of goods. Later, they resumed their duties on request by the port authority.
Loading and unloading of perishable items at the port continued until midnight on Tuesday. But the port workers went on a 12-hour strike from 6 am yesterday at the call of Sramik Samannoy Committee.
Sramik Samannoy Committee filed a case against 20 to 25 drug smugglers with Shibganj Police Station yesterday. They also demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the smugglers responsible for assaulting the five workers and shifting of the truck terminal from Koilabari to the land port.
None of the accused in the case was arrested as of filing of this report at 6:00pm yesterday.
Harun-or-Rashid, general secretary of Sonamasjid Land Port Sramik Samannoy Committee said they will launch a tougher agitation programme if their demands are not met by the authorities concerned.
UNB adds: Export-import through Akhaura land port remained suspended yesterday due to Luxmi Puja holiday at Agartala land port.
Customs official of Akhaura Land Port Abul Bashar Chowdhury said export import through the port was suspended after businessmen of both Akhaura and Agartala had informed him that there would be no trade activities at Agartala land port on Wednesday due to Luxmi Puja holiday.
However, movement of passport holders through both Akhaura and Agartala immigration points was normal, he said.
The border trade will resume through Agartala land port today.
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