As students have enforced a countrywide blockade in Bangladesh demanding the removal of the quota system in the public sector jobs, the movement of cargo carrying trucks towards the Chittagong port and the container depots remained suspended since Wednesday (17 July) night.
Students have blocked the roads across the country thus no vehicles are plying on the highways disrupting the transportation of export and import cargoes.
The students protested the abolition of the quota system during the last couple of days. On Tuesday, six students and common people died in Bangladesh as police opened fire on agitating students.
Following that, the students enforced a “complete shutdown” on Thursday across the country to press home their demand. On the day, at least five people, including students, died on police firing further destabilising the situation.
Arshad Jamal (Dipu), Vice President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the highway remained closed since Wednesday night thus no cargo carrying vehicles could go to the Chittagong port from Dhaka or reach to the capital.
“We are very much concerned about the developments,” he noted, adding that “sending export cargo to the Chittagong port has become very tough”.
Dipu believes the export oriented industry will face tough situation, if the disputes are not resolved soon.
Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) president, Nurul Qayyum Khan said no trucks could enter the depots from the factories or heading towards the ports since Thursday morning due to security reasons.
“Import containers are also not coming out from the port as drivers are not wiling to take risks,” he added. “Usually, the depots handle around 4,000 TEU of export-import and empty containers daily, which remained suspended on the day.”
Nurul Qayyum Khan said, however, that stuffing and un-stuffing of cargo inside the container depots is going on and once the situation normalises the boxes will start to be sent to the port.
A Chittgong port official said container loading and unloading at the port yard is also going on as usual, but no boxes are going out from the port area due to the road blockade.
Sharar Nayel
Asia Correspondent
