Uproar of traders started after a cargo boat loaded with border trade goods from Myanmar went missing from the land port of Teknaf. The traders have called for a strike over several demands, including security of goods. These incidents have created a deadlock at Teknaf land port. An emergency meeting of the officials of the port user co-administration was held. After that, the deadlock did not end.
Due to this incident, in one day, the government was deprived of revenue of Tk 4 crores. The strike which started on Sunday is still going on. Till Monday evening, all types of goods trading are closed at the port.
However, The strike called by C&F agents and traders at Teknaf land port in Cox's Bazar has been called off. The strike was called off this morning after a meeting with port users including the administration, land port authorities and C&F agents.
Due to the disappearance of a cargo boat carrying cargo from Cox's Bazar's Teknaf land port, the C&F agents working at the port have called a strike since Sunday, the first day of the week. Movement of goods has been stopped since Sunday due to the strike. The port authorities said that till Monday, 35 cargo boats loaded with goods from Myanmar are waiting to be unloaded at the port. These ships and cargo boats contain perishable goods worth crores of Tk.
According to C&F agent sources, a cargo trawler with 700 sacks of betel nuts and other goods from Myanmar arrived at Teknaf land port last Thursday morning. Saddam Hossain, Farooq and Shaukat three businessmen brought these goods. The cargo boat entered the port with the cargo on Thursday afternoon. The traders said that the cargo boat disappeared from the wharf of the port along with the goods that night. The next day, BGB recovered an abandoned cargo boat with 574 bags of betel nuts and 80 bags of kifi from Naf River. Teknaf-2 BGB members later filed a case and deposited the cargo boat with goods at Teknaf customs warehouse.
C&F Agents Association along with Teknaf land port traders and import and export companies have called for a strike from Sunday morning claiming this incident as unfair. As a result, no goods were released from the port. Deadlock was created at Teknaf land port.
On Sunday afternoon, Teknaf upazila administration, C&F agents and land port authorities held a meeting in the land port office. Even though the meeting has been discussed, the traders are continuing the strike.
After the meeting, Teknaf upazila executive officer Mohammad Kamruzzaman and Ukhia Teknaf former MP and Teknaf municipal Awami League president Abdur Rahman Badi spoke to the media. They said that they are working to solve the problems.
Business leader Abdu Sukkur said that the strike is continuing.
On behalf of traders, former MP Abdur Rahman Badi said that a circle inside the port is conspiring with Teknaf land port. Recently it has come up to tarnish the image of the current government. The aim of this cycle is to increase the price of goods in view of next Ramadan. He said the disappearance of the cargo boat with goods from the jetty of the port and the theft of the goods are mysterious. He demanded a high-level inquiry from the government. Teknaf upazila executive officer Mohammad Kamruzzaman said a meeting was held with all parties including Teknaf land port users. This is an unexpected event.