DCCI Calls for Normalizing Chittagong Port Operations in National Interest

In a press release issued on Thursday (February 5), DCCI highlighted that Chittagong Port is considered the "lifeline" of Bangladesh's trade and investment.

The statement noted that approximately 92% of the country's import and export activities are conducted through this port. While an average of 9,000 TEUs of containers are cleared daily, operations have remained completely suspended since last Wednesday. Currently, around 54,000 containers are stranded at the port. Due to these delays, businesses are being forced to pay an additional compensation of 10,000 to 15,000 BDT per container every day.

DCCI fears that if this stalemate continues, it will have a severe negative impact on the export sector. Failure to ship goods on time may lead to the cancellation of international orders. Furthermore, delays in clearing imported goods ahead of the upcoming Ramadan could trigger price hikes in the local market, affecting all consumers.

Under these circumstances, DCCI emphasized the need for a collaborative effort involving the port authority, businesses, and all stakeholders to keep the wheels of the economy moving and prevent rising operational costs.