CPA compiles financial losses from port disruptions

Staff Reporter :

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has formally requested shipping agents to provide estimates of financial losses resulting from prolonged vessel waiting times caused by recent customs-related work stoppages.

In a letter dated 31 July and addressed to the Bangladesh Shipping Agents’ Association (BSAA), the CPA asked for the data to be submitted within three working days.

The information will be reviewed by a designated committee formed to assess the economic fallout of the disruptions at Chattogram Port and related institutions.

The letter, signed by Md Rokonuzzaman, CPA Traffic Officer (Operations) and member secretary of the committee, follows instructions from the National Board of Revenue (NBR), which is undertaking a broader evaluation of port-related losses.

The disruptions stemmed from protest actions by customs officials, who carried out a complete shutdown on 28 and 29 June, in addition to intermittent pen-down strikes totalling 59 hours between 14 May and 26 June.

These work stoppages significantly delayed customs clearance processes and vessel handling, resulting in increased port congestion, extended ship turnaround times, and higher operational costs-particularly for shipping agents liable for demurrage and delay charges.

CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk confirmed that the NBR has constituted a high-level committee to assess the wider economic impact of the administrative actions.

In parallel, the CPA has set up its own task force to gather data from stakeholders and submit its findings to the NBR for further review.

The initiative reflects mounting concern over the ripple effects of administrative standstills on Bangladesh’s principal maritime hub, which manages more than 90 percent of the country’s international trade. Industry stakeholders have expressed growing unease about the operational and financial implications of such disruptions on the country’s logistics and trade efficiency.