Dr. Muhammad Yunus

Honourable Chief Adviser

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Subject: Collective appeal for your urgent intervention to resolve the announced strike at Chattogram Port on the eve of the national election and to maintain economic stability

Honourable Sir,

Assalamu Alaikum.

Under your resolute leadership, the current interim government has demonstrated commendable success in advancing state reforms and ensuring accountability, which has been widely appreciated. In particular, your commitment to restoring democracy through a free, fair, and impartial national election is now at its final stage of realization. With only four days remaining before this election, a nationwide atmosphere of democratic enthusiasm and expectation has emerged, and we express our full solidarity with this historic moment.

However, it is with deep concern that we observe that, at a time when the entire nation is counting down to a landmark election, a severe deadlock is unfolding at Chattogram Port, the lifeline of the country’s economy. The call for an indefinite strike and suspension of operations at the outer anchorage from tomorrow, announced by the Chattogram Port Protection Movement Council, has created grave anxiety across industry and trade. We firmly believe that every worker and employee at the port is a frontline partner in the nation’s economic progress. Therefore, at this critical juncture of the election, it is imperative to build a foundation of mutual understanding and cooperation among all parties—including the protestors and the port authority—in the greater interest of safeguarding industry, commerce, and overall economic stability.

Over the past seven days, we, the business associations, have engaged in continuous dialogue and coordination meetings with all concerned stakeholders to resolve the crisis and keep port operations uninterrupted. Unfortunately, due to a prevailing trust deficit, no effective solution has yet been secured. With the protestors now announcing a halt to berthing and cargo handling at the outer anchorage, the entire port is on the brink of complete paralysis.

For your kind consideration, we briefly outline the potential losses arising from this deadlock:

Ninety-nine percent of the country’s container traffic and 78 percent of seaborne trade depend on Chattogram Port. Any disruption to exports will cause irreparable damage to all major export sectors, including ready-made garments.

With Ramadan approaching, failure to unload vessels carrying essential consumer goods and industrial raw materials may create artificial shortages in the market, pushing prices beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Due to vessel congestion and suspension of port activities, importers are paying huge amounts of foreign currency every day as demurrage charges, imposing a heavy burden on the national economy.

The dispute over the NCT lease has now escalated into a confrontational situation between employees and the port authority. We believe that initiatives involving legal action and investigations against the protestors have further complicated and intensified the situation.

Honourable Sir,

With only four days remaining before the national election, any disruption to the country’s supply chain and economic activities is undesirable for all of us. In this context, to protect the greater national interest and keep the wheels of the economy moving, we earnestly seek your personal and direct intervention.

At this moment, all parties are looking toward your prudent judgment. Only your strong guidance can resolve this critical deadlock and ensure a dignified and sustainable solution. We firmly believe that your timely action will help overcome the current stagnation and steer the country back toward stability.

With sincere thanks,

Yours faithfully,

President

Bangladesh Employers’ Federation (BEF)

Acting President

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)

President

Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA)

President

Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA)