Chittagong Port staff to face action for Facebook post

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has recommended punishment against an employee of the planning department for sharing a news item of corruption on Facebook.

The employee in question is Mehedi Hasan Majumder, a chief assistant at the planning department. He is also an executive member of the Chittagong Port Employees’ Council (CBA).

The report recommending punishment against him has been sent from the administration department to the port chairman's office.

The authorities allege that by sharing the news, Mehedi has tarnished the image of the organization and committed a criminal offense. Punishment has been recommended against him under the Digital Security Act.

CPA Secretary Omar Farooq said: “The port has a code of conduct and there is an opportunity to take legal action for violations.”

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He added that a committee made the recommendation after investigation.

On September 8, Mehedi shared a news item on his Facebook page on irregularities regarding renting microbuses for the port.

In this regard, Mehedi said: “As an employee of the Port I can share the news of corruption. Besides this, I am also the member of the CBA. This is my right to raise voice against such kind of corruption.”

He claimed that he had been harassed for demanding port CBA election. “I am an elected member of the current CBA committee. Its tenure expired two years ago.”

Even after retiring from the post, two presidents and a general secretary have been appointed. But the Labour Department did not approve any of them.

“I am being harassed in many ways for demanding the elections. Earlier, I was given divisional transfers.”