Amid the holy month of Ramadan, allegations have emerged against certain traders for stockpiling imported goods at Chittagong Port, allegedly to create an artificial crisis and drive up market prices.
According to port officials, some importers are deliberately delaying the release of their goods, effectively using the port’s yards as storage facilities. This has resulted in an artificial shortage, with approximately 40,000 Full Container Load (FCL) containers currently occupying space in the port yard and off-docks.
In response, the Chittagong Port Authority has warned that if these goods-laden containers are not cleared by 9th March, a fourfold penalty will be imposed.
At present, of the 40,089 containers stored across various yards at Chittagong Port, 31,384 are FCL containers. Officials stated that these containers, carrying imported goods, remain uncleared, disrupting the port’s regular operations.
Ahsan Ullah Jahedi, General Secretary of the Chaktai-Khatunganj Wholesalers Association, highlighted the port’s limitations in handling goods clearance. He noted that the increased flow of imports during Ramadan has led to delays and logistical challenges, causing a backlog of goods at the port.
The congestion is not limited to the port itself, as imported FCL containers are also accumulating at 19 off-dock facilities. Currently, these off-docks hold 8,700 imported containers and 8,300 containers designated for export.
Ruhul Amin Sikder Biplob, Secretary-General of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), said, “Many importers are treating Chittagong Port as a storage site, leaving their imported goods there for 20 to 21 days. This is resulting in an excessive accumulation of FCL containers, leading to operational difficulties.”
“When importers finally attempt to retrieve their containers, they encounter congestion and heavy traffic, which further hampers the port’s efficiency. It is crucial to clear the backlog of containers at Chittagong Port as soon as possible,” he added.
Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Mohammad Omar Faruk explained that importers are permitted to store goods-laden containers at the port yard for up to four days without incurring charges. Beyond this period, a penalty of $6 per day is applied to 20-foot containers and $12 per day to 40-foot containers.
These fines increase to $24 and $48 per day, respectively, if the delay continues beyond the permitted period.
In response to the current congestion, the port authority has issued special instructions requiring all imported goods and containers to be cleared by 9th March. Failure to comply will result in a fourfold penalty on each container from 10th March onwards. Letters regarding this directive have already been sent to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and other port user organisations.
M Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Managing Director of Clifton Group and an importer of garment products, attributed the delays in container clearance to a shortage of customs personnel. “The lengthy clearance process is causing financial losses for importers,” he stated.
If the increased penalties are enforced, importers will be required to pay $48 per day for a 20-foot container and $96 per day for a 40-foot container, further escalating costs, he warned.
Courtesy: UNB
