Shipowners: Operating Vessels Impossible Without Payment for Waterway Cargo Transport

The allegations were raised at an urgent meeting held Wednesday evening at the Officers’ Club in Dhaka, organized by the Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners Association (BCVOA).

The meeting was chaired by the association’s president Saeed Ahmed, with former chairman of the Coastal Ship Owners Association of Bangladesh, Gazi Belayet Hossain (Mithu), delivering the keynote speech. BCVOA Secretary General Engr. Mehbub Kabir also addressed the meeting, along with other shipowners and leaders.

Speakers said, “We are operating ships according to government regulations, yet we have only been able to transport goods once in the past two months. Meanwhile, some syndicate-affiliated cargo agents are making three to four trips per month. They are using our ships like floating warehouses for 11–12 months, creating artificial scarcity. This is raising prices in the market and depriving the government of substantial revenue.”

The shipowners also complained that despite repeated meetings with the Department of Shipping and the Ministry of Shipping, no effective measures have been taken to control the syndicates. Although the DG of Shipping sent letters urging payment to shipowners, the syndicates have shown no response. Due to this situation, ordinary shipowners are unable to pay their staff, and nearly 800 vessels have already been scrapped.

Warning of serious consequences, the shipowners said that if the issues are not resolved within 15 days, operating ships will be impossible. They also called on the Department of Shipping to take responsibility.

Their four demands are:

1. Within 15 days, all dues owed by cargo agents to ordinary shipowners must be paid.

2. All ships must operate according to government regulations.

3. Ships under syndicate control from the fascist government era must be brought under regulation.

4. Equal rights for all shipowners must be ensured.

Shipowners expressed concern that failure to meet these demands could cause massive disruption to commercial activities on the waterways.