Keeping Ctg port open during Eid continues to yield almost no benefits

Once again, the decision to keep the Chattogram port operational during Eid holidays has yielded minimal benefits, mirroring previous years’ outcomes. Over the course of three days, only 389 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers were delivered, with no deliveries recorded in the last two days.

The Chattogram port remained operational but experienced minimal container deliveries during the last Eid-ul-Fitr and Pahela Baishakh holidays as well. On Eid-ul-Fitr day, container deliveries dropped to zero, and on other holidays, deliveries remained below 1,000 TEUs, according to port data.

Similar situations were observed in previous years.

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) said before Eid-ul-Adha, it convened a coordination meeting with stakeholders to facilitate container deliveries and instructed the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to do so. Despite these efforts, the volume of deliveries remained considerably low.

As a result, an additional 4,088 TEUs of containers have accumulated in the port yard over the past six days, encompassing the three days leading up to the start of the Eid holidays.

As of 8am on 14 June, there were 31,124 TEUs in the port yard. This number increased to 35,212 TEUs by 8am yesterday, according to port data.

Md Omar Faruk, secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority, told TBS, “We had all preparations for delivering containers. Special instructions were also issued to stakeholders this time. However, importers did not take delivery.

“We hope that importers will promptly release the containers from the port after the holidays.”

Container handling at the port is counted on a 24-hour basis, from 8am to 8am the following day.

According to port data, the average daily container deliveries under normal circumstances amount to 4,500 TEUs.

On 14 June, 5,360 TEUs were handled, 15 June saw 3,099 TEUs, 16 June processed 2,239 TEUs, 17 June handled 389 TEUs, and no containers were processed on 18 and 19 June.

Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, vice president of the BGMEA, told TBS that despite normal shipment of export products during the Eid holidays, garment owners did not take delivery of imported goods.

However, he assured that the backlog of imported goods at the port would be cleared within a week.

Shafiqul Alam Jewel, vice chairman of the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, said to truly benefit from keeping the port open on holidays, all related institutions must also remain operational. This issue should be addressed at the government’s policy-making level.