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Bad omen over Mongla port again

Bid to thwart new gang booking system

Staff Correspondent, Khulna
The good working atmosphere at Mongla port created since abolition of Dock workers' Management Board (DWMB) on August 1 is being shadowed again due to friction between dock workers and stevedores over gang booking under the new system.
Dock workers alleged that they were denied their right to get financial benefits as before when DWMB was in force.
On the other hand, stevedores said the new gang booking system authorising them to appoint dock workers not only saved the port from being ruined but also helped increase its revenue earnings.
Abolition of DWMB is now a boon, which was a bane for the port earlier, said Syed Mostahid Ali, president of Mongla Port Stevedores’ Association.
Lutfor Rahman, Member (operation) of Mongla Port Authority, said the port is being greatly benefited following intro-
duction of the new system after abolition of DWMB.
Mostahid Ali said the new gang booking system has cut loading and unloading expenditures by about forty percent.
Bribery, which was almost compulsory under DWMB, has been greatly stopped. Earlier, bribe to DWMB officials and lips to gang booking leaders made loading and unloading expensive and sometimes uncertain as stevedores could not cope with unwanted situations, Mostahid Ali said.
Mostahid Ali, said wages of dock workers are now being paid on the spot after completion of work, which was never done earlier. Workers do not 'sell their duty ships' to gang leaders as before. Wages are being properly paid in cash by stevedores and not through any gang leader. This is a radical improvement, he said.
He said levy was previously paid to a group of officials of DWMB and leaders of Mongla Port Sramik Sangha. Now this is
being controlled directly by employers of dock workers.
Lutfor Rahman said importers and exporters now feel relaxed after abolition of DWMB Introduction of the new gang booking system has infused a new life into port activities, raising hope for increase in revenue earning. More foreign ships are arriving at the port now, he claimed.
Besides, importers and exporters also show keen interest in cargo handing as it has become less expensive for them now.
Mongla port is being greatly benefited with increase in number of foreign vessels. Gang booking under the new system is now being directly controlled by stevedores which was earlier done by corrupt officials of DWMB in connivance with a section of leaders of Mongla Bander Sramik Sangha.
The port is now free from corruption, done earlier by groups of touts who traded on miseries of dock workers by misappropriating a portion of their wages on different pleas, Mostahid Ali said.