Ctg port staff stage demo for safety measures after fellow dies of Covid-19

Chattogram Port workers yesterday staged a demonstration demanding proper safety measures required to maintain physical distance following the death of a fellow worker who was diagnosed with Covid-19.

Chattogram Civil Surgeon Sheikh Fazle Rabbi confirmed to The Daily Star that the test report of the deceased came back positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday night.

Hearing about the test result of the deceased on Thursday morning, his fellow workers at the port staged a demonstration demanding appropriate safety measures to maintain proper physical distance at the One Stop Service Centre under the port's traffic department.

The deceased, a senior outdoor assistant (SROA) at the One Stop Service Centre of the port, died on Tuesday night after suffering from breathing problems and fever since May 1.

The man's son told The Daily Star that his father's condition deteriorated on Tuesday night and he was rushed to Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) around 10:30pm where on duty doctors declared him dead.  

His sample was collected by CMCH doctors and the test results came back positive on Wednesday, the son added.

The administration yesterday locked down the four-storey building in the port city's Sabujbag area where the family of the man resides.

Over 80 staffers work in the department in a congested area to provide services like revenue collection and documentation for cargo and container deliveries, with hundreds of people visiting the office every day, said Naibul Islam, general secretary of Chattogram Port Authority (CPA). 

Deliveries from the port were disrupted for over an hour 1:30pm today due to the demonstration. Later, the staffers resumed work after senior port officials ensured them of taking necessary steps in this regard.

Md Zafar Alam, member (Admin) of CPA, said on May 2 eight port staffers who were on duty at the same centre along with the deceased have been asked to remain in home quarantine.

CPA will reshuffle the sitting arrangement and install automated queue system at the centre to maintain physical distance, he added.