As Bangladesh Endures More Protests, Truckers Briefly Pause Strike
Tensions in Bangladesh have reignited as student protesters sieged the presidential palace Tuesday evening, calling for the resignation of President Mohammed Shahabuddin.
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led the rallies throughout the summer that resulted in the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and a dissolution of the country’s parliament, set a seven-day deadline for Shahabuddin’s removal.
More from Sourcing Journal
The protests are in response to Shahabuddin’s recent claims that he did not have any documentary evidence of Hasina resigning as prime minister before she fled the country on Aug. 5.
Nationwide protests throughout the summer impacted numerous areas of the apparel supply chain in Bangladesh across garment factories and ports, with the industry suffering losses of an estimated $150 million a day due to mass factory closures and an 11-day Internet blackout.
While the return of the protests brings more uncertainty to the supply chain, Bangladesh’s largest port has its own problems to deal with after truck drivers decided to temporarily end a 34-hour work stoppage.
Transportation of export and import container loads to and from Chattogram Port resumed Tuesday afternoon, following the postponement of the ongoing strike. Bulk cargo to and from the port remained unaffected throughout the 34-hour stretch, as railroads continued to operate.
However, the strike could still restart on Thursday morning.
The Chattogram District Prime Mover Trailer, Concrete Mixer, Flatbed, Dump Truck Workers Union enforced what was initially a 48-hour strike at 6 a.m. Monday, demanding that the owners of the tucking firms issue drivers appointment letters and identity cards. The union had claimed that members of the Prime Mover Owners Association signed a contract in April that would have conceded to these demands within 45 days. But no action has been taken since, according to the drivers.
The union is also seeking fixed work hours and a minimum wage.
“We are not withdrawing the strike, rather we are postponing our program until Thursday morning, when another tripartite meeting will be held at the office of the Chittagong Port Authority Chairman to discuss our demands,” union president Selim Khan told Bangladeshi publication The Daily Star.”
In that meeting, the union hopes to clear up the issues surrounding the appointment letters, identity cards and other demands. If the union comes out empty handed, the strike will resume, Khan said.
Under 3,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per day feel the impact of a trucker strike. About 2,000 export TEUs are transported daily from Bangladesh’s slate of inland container depots to the port, while around 800 TEUs of imported goods are brought to the depots, according to Ruhul Amin Sikder Biplab, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association (BICDA).
The strike also could impact container ships and their service levels. A vessel pushed back its scheduled departure from the port on the same day after failing to receive a sufficient number of export-loaded containers that could not be transported from private depots due to the strike.
The Daily Star said that Sri Lanka-bound HR Aarai was supposed to take 956 TEUs of export cargo on board but managed to load only 385 TEUs by Sunday night, ahead of the strike. Since the vessel stayed through Wednesday, the ship’s operating firm would have to pay around $4,000 to the port authority in fees.
Another ship, Em Stepses, left the port Tuesday at noon for Singapore, leaving over 100 TEUs of export-laden containers behind that were unable to be moved frpm the depots to the port.
Whether truckers walk off the job on Thursday is still up in the air, but the port also may have to endure concerns of another cyclone that is set to hit the coasts of Bangladesh and eastern India late Thursday.
Cyclone Dana is currently over the Bay of Bengal, with the Bangladesh Meteorological Department issuing warnings for four coastal areas due to the strengthening of the low-pressure system.
Delays and disruptions are expected at Chattogram and Bangladesh’s second-largest port, Mongla, when the cyclone impacts the country on Thursday and Friday.
Flight operations at Kolkata Airport will be suspended for 15 hours starting 6 p.m. on Thursday due to predicted heavy winds and heavy rainfall in the area.
Paradip Port in India is set to close Wednesday night, with directives already laid out to expedite cargo transportation and complete all loading activities from the ships berthed at the port. Additionally, ships currently docked at the port have been directed to move and anchor at designated safe locations at sea to avoid potential accidents or damage caused by turbulent waters.
Solve the daily Crossword
