Chattogram port operations, which were recently affected by a 40-hour transport strike, now face fresh uncertainty as customs agents are observing a four-hour work abstention, protesting a 41% tariff hike.
Although container delivery remained largely unaffected today (20 October), port officials and shipping agents warned that operations could slow in the coming days if the protest continues.
Workers of customs agents have been refraining from submitting delivery orders from 9am to 1pm every day since yesterday (19 October), disrupting the clearance of new consignments at the country’s busiest seaport.
For now, container delivery is continuing at full pace as thousands of pending consignments are being cleared following the withdrawal of the 40-hour transport strike that halted operations earlier in the week.
“Our workers are performing customs-related tasks, but they are not submitting new clearances for fresh deliveries or shipments,” said Saiful Alam, president of the Bangladesh Customs Agents Association.
He added, “Initially, the impact will be minimal since containers scheduled earlier are still being delivered. But in the next few days, delivery will slow down because fewer new clearances are being filed.”
Affirming that there had been no significant disruption yet, Port Terminal Manager Saiful Alam told The Business Standard, “Delivery is going on in full swing.”
By yesterday evening, long queues of heavy vehicles were seen in front of the port gates as delivery operations picked up after the transport strike.
However, the new protest by customs agents has raised fresh concerns about delays in cargo handling.
Earlier, the port witnessed a sharp decline in container movement during the 40-hour strike enforced by transport owners and workers protesting the Chittagong Port Authority’s (CPA) decision to raise the gate pass fee by nearly 300%, from Tk57 to Tk230.
According to port data, container delivery fell by 45% in four days during the strike. On 19 October, only 295 TEUs were delivered, far below the daily average of 4,500 TEUs, before the strike was called off around 3:30pm after CPA agreed to suspend the fee hike.
The port’s daily performance report shows that a total of 101 vessels were at the port yesterday — 50 unloading cargo at the outer anchorage, 32 waiting for berths, and 16 berthed at the main jetties.
Shipping agents said vessel turnaround time has already risen to around five days and may increase further if the customs agents’ work abstention continues through the week.