Announcement to reopen Chittagong Port after 16½-hour strike

The continuous strike at Chittagong Port has been officially suspended, following a 16-and-a-half-hour standstill, the Port Protection Struggle Council announced late on Sunday night. In a statement issued at 12:30 a.m., the council cited national interest and the ongoing parliamentary elections as reasons for the temporary halt.

The announcement was signed by the organisation’s coordinators, Md. Humayun Kabir and Ibrahim Khokon. According to the statement, the strike, initially planned to continue indefinitely, will now be suspended from Monday 8:00 a.m. until 15 February to ensure the smooth clearance of goods during the holy month of Ramadan and the election period. However, the council warned that if five unresolved issues—including the arrest of port employees, arbitrary transfers, and temporary suspensions—are not addressed by then, strike action will resume on 16 February.

Earlier on Sunday, port workers had launched the continuous strike from 8:00 a.m., demanding resolution of four key points, including the refusal to lease the New Mooring Terminal. Despite reassurances from officials, the workers initially refused to call off their action.

During a press conference held in the capital at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashique Chowdhury stated that under the current interim government, there was no likelihood of finalising the lease agreement for Chittagong Port’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) with the UAE-based company DP World. Nevertheless, the striking employees persisted with their protest.

Tensions escalated further in the evening, when several punitive measures were reportedly taken against port staff. At 9:00 p.m., the council announced its intention to continue the strike. Yet, after internal discussions and consultations with senior leadership, a final decision to suspend the action was made shortly after midnight. The statement emphasised that the suspension was implemented “in the public interest, following talks with top leaders.”

Key Strike Demands and Timeline

The suspension marks a temporary reprieve for port operations, allowing crucial imports and exports to continue amid heightened logistical demands during the election and Ramadan period. Port officials and workers alike are expected to resume dialogue in the coming days to address the unresolved concerns.