Sarwaruddin, Ctg Bureau :
The overall situation of Chittagong Port is getting tense gradually over the operation of two container terminals including newly- constructed New Mooring Container Terminal(NCT) by a private berth operator .
The assigned berth operator – Saif Power Tech Co. is operating two terminals – Chitagong Container Terminal(CCT) and the New Container Terminal(NCT) .
A tough movement will be enforced by the Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad under the banner of Chittagong Port Prevention Council(Bandar Rakkha Parishad) very shortly to resist the time extension of the controversial Saif Power Tech .
Very recently Saif Power and the BRP issued counter statements each other to depend their respective side. Port sources said private berth operator is operating the container handling of CCT since 2007 and at the same time, as per separate agreement Saif Power is also operating berth No.1 and 2 of the NCT. Meanwhile President of City Awami League and former city Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury is opposing the assignment of Saif Power to operate the NCT who is assigned as operator without any competitive bid through open tender.
Former Mayor and city AL President also demanded recently to declare Saif Power as a blacklisted operator in Chittagong Port and urged the authority to cancell the agreement of Saif Power. In this connection, city AL president sent messages to Prime Minister, Shipping Minister and CPA chairman recently.
On the other hand, Berth Operators Association demanded assignment of local berth operator of NCT through competitive tender bid among the local berth opertors. A reliable sources said the tenure of agreement with Saif Power expired on June 30 last the process is underway to renew the agreement again for next 6 months.
Centring the extention of agreement with Saif Power without open tender , an adverse reactions experiencing among the Berth Operators Association(BOA) and the Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad(SKOP) . Mentionable that the leaders of 8 sramik karmachari fronts of CPA and BOA held meeting with the City AL president Mohiuddin chowdhury on wednesday last. It is also mentioned that Saif Power has published advertisement in different Bangla dailies in Chittagong on Wednesday stating the abilities and performances in operating the CCT and NCT successfully.
Saif Power in their paper advertisement explained their position in handling the CCT and NCT which upgraded to international standard and said Saif Power engaged for berth operation through competitive tender bid and blamed the former Mayor for unjustified statements against them in the newspapers earlier.
Saif Power also refuted the allegations of vested quarters about their involvement with the 10-trucks arms haul of chittagong.
On the other hand, Bandar Rakkha Parishad(BRP) published a counter protest advertisement in local dailies yesterday refuting all self dependant statement of Saif Power Tech.
A reliable sources of BRP said a movement under the slogan of ‘ Save Port,m Black list Saif Power’ will enforced very shortly and in this connection , a 6-point demand will be submitted to the concerned ministry and CPA. In the meantime, distribution of leaflets on behalf of the BRP is going on in the port areas and among the port beneficiaries.
One of the influential leader of BRP Abdul Ahad told this reporter that Saif Power is conducting berth operation of two berths of NCT without any tender bid which totally repugnant to law of govt procurement system. BRP will resist the extension of the tenure of Saif Power Tech further, he added.
