Strike action temporarily stopped the ferry from Teknaf in Bangladesh to Maungdaw in Rakhine State, Burma after the captain was severely beaten by Burma Border Guard Police (BGP) on 1 October.
According to Abdul Karim, from Teknaf Land Port Ferryboat Owners Association, there was no reason for the BGP attack. He said: "The ferries of Teknaf Land Port took businessmen with border business passes and full legal papers or documents, as agreed by both countries, to and from Bangladesh [Teknaf] and Burma [Maungdaw] every day."
According to a statement by the ferry captain, Mohamed Ismail (35), of Borotoli Village in Teknaf, on 29 September the ferry left the Teknaf Land Port with some businessmen on board and arrived in Maungdaw. After depositing its passengers at the arrivals and departures jetty the boat anchored at a nearby jetty. Whilst it was there a group of BGP officers boarded the ferry and without giving a reason they started beating and kicking Ismail.
Ismail was seriously injured and was admitted to Teknaf Hospital.
Following the attack the Teknaf Land Port Ferryboat Owners Association members called an indefinite strike and on 1 October stopped going to Burma or taking passengers there, according to the Teknaf Land Port Authority.
Saiful Islam, the Sub-inspector (SI) from Teknaf police station said that on 2 October the the Burmese immigration police sent a letter to Teknaf Land Port Authority to try and solve the problem and express their regret over the incident.
After the Land Port Authority and Teknaf Police Station spoke to the Teknaf Land Port Ferryboat Owners Association they stopped striking. Ferry services were resumed on 2 October.
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
