Ctg port gridlocked as NBR protests cause pile-up

Although the National Board of Revenue (NBR) resumed regular operations yesterday after nearly two weeks of protests and work abstentions, ship and container congestion has once again gripped the Chattogram Port, triggering concern among businesses over potential delays in cargo handling and increased logistics costs.

NBR officials, who had been protesting since May 14, returned to work yesterday following government assurances that their demands over the NBR reform ordinance would be met.

However, the prolonged disruption has already taken a toll on port operations.

The waiting time for foreign vessels at the port's outer anchorage has increased from the usual two days to as much as seven days. Meanwhile, container loading and unloading at the jetties are now taking up to 72 hours, significantly longer than usual.

Port users warn that if the situation is not resolved swiftly, it could hamper supply chains ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, a critical period for trade and consumption.

According to port sources, the foreign vessel MV SOL Promise arrived at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port on May 19, laden with 1,201 TEUs of containers from Colombo Port.

After a seven-day wait, the ship was finally berthed at the New Mooring Container Terminal on Monday.

Muntasir Rubaiyat, head of operations at GBX Logistics Limited, the local agent of the vessel, told The Daily Star that ships are now having to wait around seven days before berthing.

"Each vessel is incurring additional costs of around $100,000 due to this delay. We are paying extra for both charter hire and berth hire," he said.

He also noted that it used to take 48 hours to complete container loading and unloading once a ship had berthed earlier, but now it is taking upwards of 72 hours.

Multiple port sources stated that the Chattogram Port yards have a total container storage capacity of 53,518 TEUs. Currently, 43,827 TEUs have piled up in the port's various yards.

For the smooth operation of yard equipment and transport systems, only 60 percent of the total capacity should be utilised, a port official mentioned.

Currently, the yards are at 82 percent of capacity, causing a crisis of space and slowing down container unloading activities.

Chattogram Port Authority spokesperson and Chief Personnel Officer Md Nasir Uddin said product delivery is being delayed due to a work stoppage by customs officials and that efforts are underway to resolve the congestion.

Several traders, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they are being fined for being unable to clear goods on time, leading to severe uncertainty.

To reduce container congestion at the port, the government must take special measures to keep customs, banks, and port operations running even on holidays, they said. Otherwise, the situation will worsen, adversely affecting the national economy.

However, protesting NBR officials under the banner of "NBR Reform Unity Council" yesterday vowed that they would put in extra hours at work to reduce the backlog.

"We promised to clear the backlog if our demands were met. As pledged, we will now work beyond office hours as long as necessary to complete the pending tasks," said Shahadat Jamil, a spokesperson for the platform.

NBR chairman must resign by May 29, protesters demand

While officials scramble to clear the backlog, NBR employees remain adamant about their demands.

At a press briefing, the protesting NBR official also demanded the removal of the NBR chairman by May 29, citing what they described as a "severe crisis of trust and confidence in his leadership."

At a press briefing yesterday, the platform said it would continue to not cooperate with the chairman until the demand is met.

"We hope that, in the larger interest of the state and the people, the government will assign full-time responsibility to an officer with knowledge, skills, and practical work experience in tax-revenue policy formulation, collection, and management," Jamil said.

The platform initially began a pen-down strike on May 14, demanding the repeal of the ordinance issued on May 12.