Stalemate lingers at Ctg port

The stalemate at Chittagong port continues, as the handlers of lighter vessels have vowed to carry on work abstention until their wage demand is met.
Shipping Minster Shahjahan Khan yesterday held a meeting with lighter vessel owners to break the 16-day deadlock over a 20 percent pay rise.
A section of owners agreed to run vessels to the end the deadlock.
“We took a host of decisions at the meeting,” said Mahbub Uddin Ahmad, president of Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association.
“If they help us get out of this non-profitable state, we will definitely honour the workers' demand, effective from January this year.”
The workers, however, refused to call off their strike, demanding the pay rise be made effective immediately and without any condition, said Chowdhury Ashikul Alam, general secretary of Bangladesh Noujan Sramik Federation.