Three organisations yesterday began an idenfinite strike at Teknaf land port in Cox’s Bazar, demanding release of two persons, who they claimed had been arrested despite doing nothing “wrong.”
Teknaf Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association President Didarul Alam said they began the strike along with the Teknaf Exporters and Importers Association and the Teknaf Owners Association. Three more organisations would provide support to the strike, he said without naming them.
On Monday, the BGB handed over Teknaf Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association cashier Md Ayas and member Ziabul Hossain after capturing them allegedly with 46 and 47 pieces of yaba tablets in their possession.
They were picked up from home in the early hours of Tuesday and then handed them over to the police showing that they had been held along with the drugs, said Didarul. The strike would continue unless the “false” cases were withdrawn against Ayas and Ziabul and they were set free, he said.
Teknaf 42 BGB Captain Lieutenant Colonel Abuzar Al Jahid, however, denied the allegation that the two had not been held with the narcotic and said: “It does not matter to us whether any strike is called at the port or not.
“Our duty is to maintain law and order on the border as well as preventing acts of smuggling and illegal intrusion and that is what we have done.”
He said: “No matter how powerful a smuggler is, they must be brought to book.”
Teknaf police station’s Officer-in-Charge Ranjit Kumar Barua said: “We sent them to court at 11am and then they were sent to jail.”