Police today obstructed a workers' procession in Chattogram that was marching towards the port area, demanding that the government refrain from leasing out port facilities -- including the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) -- to any local or foreign company.

Witnesses said several hundred workers under the banner of Sramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) and port workers held a rally in Agrabad-Badamtali area around 11:30 am.

During the rally, they announced a hunger strike on November 1 in front of the Chattogram Press Club to press home their demand.

After the rally, around 12:30pm, workers brought out a procession from Agrabad and attempted to march towards the port.

When they reached the Barik Building area close to the port, police intervened and stopped them. Later, the workers ended their programme.

The police action follows a ban imposed by the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) on all forms of processions, meetings, rallies, human chains, and street gatherings near the port area for one month from October 11. The ban was issued to ensure smooth and uninterrupted flow of import-export activities at the port.

Addressing the rally, Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, former general secretary of Chattogram Port CBA and divisional general secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal threatened to announce further programmes, including rallies, demonstrations, as well as strikes, if their demand is not met.

Tapan Dutta, president of the Trade Union Centre (TUC) Chattogram district, said the port is not anyone's personal property; rather, it belongs to 19 crore people.

"You cannot hand over the port to foreigners while kicking the workers in the stomach," he said.

He alleged that the gate pass and vehicle entry fees at the port have been raised several times.

Tapan Dutta hoped that hundreds of workers and employees would observe a hunger strike in front of the Chattogram Press Club from 10:00 am on November 1.

Bangladesh Sramik Federation President SK Khoda Toton, Bangladesh Labour Federation Organising Secretary Rabiul Haque, Chattogram Bandar Sramik Dal General Secretary Ibrahim Khokan and Dock Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal leader Taslim Uddin Selim, among others, spoke at the rally.