Army called to restore order as Chittagong dockers rampage

CONTINGENTS of the Bangladeshi Army have been called in to deal with striking dockers who rampaged through the Port of Chittagong attacking guards and vehicles, injuring 20 people, reported New York-based RTT News.

Police fired teargas cannisters and rubber bullets to disperse angry dockers, protesting against the Bangladeshi government's decision to hand over operations to the private sector which leave 1,500 longshoremen without work, say unions.

A spokesman for the Chittagong Port Authority said with deployment of the army, normal port operation could be resumed. The port handled some 37 million tons of cargo, more than 80 per cent of the country's external trade.
(Source:www.schednet.com)