Indefinite strike at shipwreck factory

News Desk: The owners are upset over the operation carried out by the Customs, Excise and VAT Commission without informing the shipbreaking factory in Sitakunda, Chittagong. Documents and computers of four shipwrecked factories were seized on Tuesday for allegedly evading VAT. The Bangladesh Shipbreakers and Recyclers Association (BSBRA), an organization of shipwreck owners, is holding an indefinite strike in all factories in protest.

They started the strike on Wednesday (November 10) morning. All activities related to shipwreck are closed in Sitakunda. BSBRA Assistant Secretary Nazmul Islam confirmed the matter.

"We pay all kinds of advance VAT," he said. Besides, even if you call us, we go. But many people could not accept the operation when they came to the shipbreaking factory in Sitakunda without informing us. So the owners are on strike from today.

Nazmul Islam said three teams comprising Customs, Excise and VAT Commission raided four factories simultaneously on Tuesday afternoon without any prior announcement or notice. They went to different shipbreaking factories at once and seized the factory documents and computers and took them to the VAT office in Agrabad, Chittagong city. During the operation, the officers carried out a kind of violence. The authorities of the factories were shocked by the matter.

He further said that in protest of this incident, all the shipbreaking factories in Sitakunda have been declared closed indefinitely by BSBRA. As a result, all kinds of activities including ship cutting and scrap supply have been stopped in the factory since Wednesday.

It is learned that the raid was carried out at the head office and factory office of the factories from noon to 8.30 pm on Tuesday. The seized factories are Bhatiari Steel Shipbreaking Yard, Premier Trade Corporation, Mahinur Shipbreaking Yard and SN Corporation.

According to BSBRA sources, there are a total of 150 shipbreaking factories on the coast of Sitakunda. Of these, 60 are in operation.

Comments (0)