Without proper oversight, even foreign operators fail to deliver.
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.
The three-day blockade was called over the handover of the NCT to a foreign operator
Picture a crowded harbour where the salty seabreeze carries whispers of far-off lands, where merchants of all creed and caste haggle over silks and spices, and where towering ships of all varieties – Chinese junks, Arab dhows, and Portuguese carracks – sway gently in the waters of the Bay of Bengal.
About 2 lakh tonnes of imported goods left abandoned at Chattogram port alone for years
Container movement between the port and 21 private ICDs remains suspended since morning
The government is considering appointing some of the world’s most experienced port operators to manage Chattogram Port and other sea and land ports in the region, said Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam yesterday.
Local operator Saif Powertec Ltd is currently operating the port's New Mooring Container Terminal
Once approved, a loan deal with the World Bank will be signed
Container ships are being able to berth and load and unload cargo faster upon arrival at the Chattogram port nowadays, thanks to the gradual easing of an acute congestion that had been created in July and August.
Container transportation between the port and privately owned inland container depots (ICDs) remained suspended since midnight
Workers postponed strike
Different shipping lines are showing interest in expanding their services to directly connect and quickly transport cargo between the Chattogram port in Bangladesh and those in China, the biggest source for local imports.
The suspension began on August 3
1,175 TEUs of containers were released from the port today, down from the regular 8,000 TEUs
The port yard now has 2,346 TEUs of containers, up from its capacity to store 876 TEUs
Containers got piled up in five layers instead of four
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury gave the assurance today
A “cybercriminal gang” attempted to release a container of cigarettes from Chattogram Port after breaching the server of the National Board of Revenue with the login credentials of a customs official.
