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Transport workers operating goods-laden vehicles at Chattogram port on Wednesday afternoon blocked a key road for nearly an hour in protest at alleged extortion and assaults by outsiders at several entry gates of the port.

Workers claimed that a group of young men, identifying themselves as activists of a political party, had been forcibly collecting money from drivers at different port gates for the past month.

They said that when drivers protested at the extortion, the group carried out two separate attacks on them on Wednesday.

The workers also alleged that the extortionists demand Tk 100–150 from each vehicle at the gates, despite the port having a fixed official gate fee of Tk 57.50.

From about 4:00pm, transport workers blockaded a busy road at Nimtala crossing with trucks, covered vans and other goods-carrying vehicles on the road, causing heavy traffic congestion in and around the busy area.

The blockade was withdrawn around 5:00pm following assurances from the police and port authorities.

Chattogram Truck and Covered Van Workers’ Union general secretary Omar Faruk at a workers’ gathering said that a gang of outsiders had been standing at the gates every day to extort money from drivers.

‘Whenever we try to enter the port with vehicles, they stop us and forcibly collect Tk 100–150,’ said Omar Faruk.

‘They have been doing this for a month. Neither the port security nor police intervenes them,’ he also said.

He also said that when workers lodged complaints, a port security officer told them on Tuesday not to pay anything beyond the official fee.

‘Following his instruction, our workers stopped giving money from this morning and then they were assaulted this morning.’

He also said that when at about noon the workers went to Gate-2, the outsiders ganged up and attacked them again, seriously injuring several of them who had to be sent to hospital.

Nearly an hour into the blockade the police and representative of the port authority arrived at the spot and talked to the workers’ leaders.

Afterwards, Omar Faruk told the gathering that they were withdrawing after assurances of action from the police and Chittagong Port Authority.

When asked who these outsiders were, he said they identified themselves as activists of a political party and were from different areas of Chattogram city, including Fokirhat, Gosaildanga, and Madarbari.

Bandar Police officer-in-charge Mostafa Ahmed said, ‘Transport workers blocked the road for about an hour.

‘They have brought extortion allegations by outsiders at port gates. We have asked them to come to the police station,’ he said, adding, ‘Action will be taken after hearing the complaints.’