Ctg port faces severe container congestion amid NBR protest

Chattogram Port is experiencing significant container congestion, with 45,377 containers occupying nearly 85% of its storage capacity as of Tuesday—raising serious concerns among business leaders over potential disruptions to the supply chain and export delays.

The congestion, the worst since August last year, stems primarily from ongoing protests by National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials that began on 14 May, severely affecting customs operations and delaying container deliveries.

A one-day strike by transport workers on 15 May and sporadic disruptions at several inland container depots (ICDs) have compounded the crisis.

Though customs officials resumed operations on Monday, the backlog continues to grow due to limited delivery of goods.

According to the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), only 3,539 containers were delivered in the 24 hours until 8am on Tuesday—falling short of the average 4,000 daily deliveries—while 9,520 TEUs were handled during the same period.

CPA spokesperson and Chief Personnel Officer Md Nasir Uddin confirmed that 45,377 containers were lying at the port yards as of Tuesday morning, a sharp increase from 36,809 recorded on 11 May, just days before the NBR protests began.

“Port operations are running normally since Monday,” Nasir said. “The issue now lies with the importers—once they begin collecting goods promptly, the congestion will ease.”

Industry leaders, however, are alarmed.

Former BGMEA Vice President Mohammad Rakibul Alam warned that garment factories are facing production disruptions due to raw materials being stuck at the port.

“Exporters face a tight deadline of 10 July to ship products, after which a postponed tariff will be reinstated,” he added.

Khairul Alam Suzan, director of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, echoed similar concerns, saying exporters may fail to meet transshipment schedules at key hubs like Singapore, Colombo and Malaysia.

He also noted that delays in returning empty containers could further choke the supply chain, and the imposition of quadruple storage charges would deepen importers’ losses.

Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association (BICDA), called for urgent measures to relieve pressure on the port.

“Along with on-chassis delivery, all types of containers—not just the current 50 permitted categories—should be shifted to off-docks,” he said.

He noted that while 78,000 TEUs are currently stored at 21 ICDs, they can still accommodate around 10,000 more containers if allowed, providing immediate relief to the port.