Shipping dept forms committee to solve disputes

A committee will be formed comprising representatives of all the stakeholders and regulatory authorities to find a way forward by resolving the prevailing disputes among lighter vessel owners regarding transport of import cargo from the Chattogram port on inland waterways.

The decision came yesterday evening following a four-and-a-half hour long meeting at the office of Commodore Md Maksud Alam, the director general of the Department of Shipping (DoS).

Water Transport Cell (WTC) Convener Nurul Hoque, who is also General Secretary of Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association (BCVOA), attended the meeting alongside Inland Vessel Owners Association of Chattogram (IVOAC) President Haji Shafik Ahmad, general secretary Azizur Rahman, Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh (COAB) leader MA Bakkar, and Water Transport Cargo Agents Association President Belayet Hossian.

Following the meeting, Alam told The Daily Star that a committee would be formed to work in a coordinated manner and find ways to smooth cargo transport by solving the differences of opinion among stakeholders.

"Since there is a previous observation of the High Court about the legality of the operations of the Water Transport Cell (WTC), we will not use this name for now," he said.

He refused to provide details of the recommendations placed at the meeting until the meeting minutes were prepared.

The High Court on March 9 and March 10 last year declared: "WTC does not have any legal sanction to control and monitor the waterways in Bangladesh, including Chattogram Port area, on plea of maintaining discipline. No vessel owners are under obligation to follow any instruction of any private organisation i.e. WTC or its serial number for loading-unloading goods from mother vessels awaiting outer anchorage unless they are members of the said organisation."

Jahangir Alam, a vessel owner and proprietor of M/s SM Shipping Lines, yesterday served a legal notice to the director general of the DoS for contempt of court after the director general issued a naval notification terming WTC as the "only recognised and legal organisation" for operating lighter vessels on December 21.

In the notification, the DG also warned of stern action against any move to separately allocate lighter vessels and bypass the WTC serial.

The notification was issued a day after IVOAC leaders on December 19 announced their separation from the WTC and started chartering lighter vessels following a long-term dispute with BCVOA leaders.

In the meeting yesterday, the DG of the DoS repeatedly requested the BCVOA and IVOAC leaders to continue operating vessels as per previous system.

But the IVOAC leaders refused, according to sources in attendance at the meeting.