The supply of food grains from the government’s central silo warehouse in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj, has been disrupted for five days due to a dispute over truck fares between government food contractors and transport workers’ organisations.
The work stoppage by truck owners and workers has disrupted the transportation of rice and wheat from the warehouse, causing financial losses for contractors and other businesses.
Tensions escalated between contractors and transport workers at around 10:30am on Thursday (October 22). Later in the day, representatives of both sides held separate press conferences to explain their positions on the dispute.
At a press conference, Abdul Hai Raju, president of the Dhaka Divisional Road Transport Contractors’ Association (Government Food), said truck owners and drivers affiliated with two organisations-the Silo branch of the Bangladesh Inter-District Truck, Covered Van and Mini Truck Drivers Workers’ Union and the Bangladesh Truck and Covered Van Owners’ Association-had jointly halted operations.
He alleged that Jahangir Alam Ripon, president of the union’s Silo branch; Shah Alam Hira, its general secretary; and Jasim Uddin, president of the truck owners’ association, had instigated the work stoppage by insisting on a transport fare of Tk 12,000 per truck.
As a result, 319 contractors supplying food grains to silo warehouses in different districts under the Dhaka-based association have been affected, as they have been unable to deliver consignments on schedule, Raju said.
He claimed that trucks could be hired from outside the area for Tk 8,000 to Tk 9,000 per vehicle. The contractors had offered Tk 10,300 per truck following discussions with the two organisations, but their leaders rejected the proposal, he added.
Raju further alleged that transport workers were preventing trucks brought in from outside the area from entering the warehouse. According to him, tension arose when contractors attempted to bring in outside trucks at around 10am on Thursday.
Workers demand restoration of previous fare
In the afternoon, the Silo branch of the Inter-District Workers’ Union and the truck owners’ association held a separate press conference, presenting their account of the dispute.
In a written statement issued on behalf of the organisations, Jahid Hasan Lipu, organising secretary of the Inter-District Workers’ Union, said the transport fare had been fixed at Tk 12,000 per truck through a mutual agreement mediated by a third party and had remained unchanged for the past year.
He alleged that the contractors’ association unilaterally reduced the fare by Tk 2,500 to Tk 3,000 on October 18 without consulting transport workers.
Lipu said rising fuel prices had increased operating costs, making the fare reduction unjustified. He added that transport workers had continued carrying essential government food supplies to their destinations on time despite higher fuel costs and had not demanded an increase in the existing fare.
The unilateral reduction, he said, threatened the livelihoods of truck owners and drivers.
Lipu also alleged that a nine-member subcommittee had been formed by a group of contractors, including Raju, to control transportation operations at the silo warehouse without consulting all 319 contractors.
He claimed that the committee had effectively warned contractors from other districts against operating outside its control, alleging that Sirajul Islam, president of the BNP’s Ward No. 5 unit in Narayanganj City Corporation, had been appointed its head.
According to Lipu, the fare reduction was intended to eliminate intermediary transport operators and allow the group to exercise greater control over transportation.
Questioning the contractors’ refusal to pay Tk 12,000 per truck, he claimed that they received more than Tk 20,000 per truck from the relevant authorities.
He said the work stoppage was a protest against what the organisations viewed as an attempt to deprive truck owners and drivers of their rightful earnings.
Jahangir Alam Ripon, president of the union’s Silo branch, rejected the allegations that workers were obstructing outside trucks. He said their demand was justified and that operations would resume only if the previous fare of Tk 12,000 per truck was restored.
“We have no objection if contractors use other vehicles to transport their goods,” he said. “But our workers will not operate their trucks until their demand is met. Otherwise, the work stoppage will continue.”
Warehouse authorities remain unavailable for comment
Attempts to obtain a statement from Riazul Alam, superintendent of the silo warehouse, regarding the disruption were unsuccessful. Security personnel did not allow the correspondent to enter the premises.
When contacted by phone, Alam said he would respond later. However, despite waiting from noon until 3pm and making several subsequent calls, the correspondent was unable to speak to him directly.
Questions were also raised over allegations that the superintendent and other warehouse officials received a share of illicit earnings allegedly generated by contractors’ association leaders. These allegations could not be independently verified, and no response from the officials concerned was available.
Police intervene as tensions rise
Siddhirganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Imdadul Haque said police were sent to the warehouse after receiving a verbal complaint that government operations were being obstructed.
“When police arrived, tensions were running high between the workers and contractors. The situation calmed down after our intervention,” he said.
He added that local transport workers were continuing their work stoppage, but contractors had resumed food-grain deliveries using trucks brought in from outside the area. He also said no one was obstructing those vehicles.