Port users seek review of tariff hike

Staff Reporter:

The Chattogram Port Users Forum has urged the government to review the recent tariff hike imposed by the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), saying the sharp increase will hurt the country’s trade and fuel inflation.

In a letter sent to the chief adviser and the principal secretary, the forum requested immediate intervention to suspend the new rates and initiate a stakeholder-based review.

Forum convener Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury confirmed to media that the letter sent yesterday, calls for reconsidering the tariff hike, which takes effect today.
“We have sought the chief adviser’s intervention as the new rates will burden importers, exporters, and consumers alike,” he said.

According to a CPA notice issued on 30 September, tariffs for 23 out of 52 service categories have been increased by up to 41percent.

The changes were announced earlier on 15 September, based on a government gazette and a comparative study of 27 ports worldwide conducted with the help of Spanish consultancy firm IDOM.

In its letter, the forum argued that the decision is unjustified, pointing out that the last tariff structure was set in 1986 when the exchange rate was Tk30.61 per US dollar.

With the rate now exceeding Tk122, existing charges have already increased more than fourfold due to inflation and previous fee adjustments.

Introducing another major hike, the forum warned, would push up the cost of doing business and reduce Bangladesh’s competitiveness in global markets.

The forum emphasised that Chattogram Port, as a state-owned service provider, should not function as a profit-oriented entity.

It said the port has successfully expanded and modernised operations using its existing revenues and maintains sufficient financial reserves, making a large tariff hike unnecessary.

It also cautioned that higher tariffs would raise the cost of handling, storing, and transporting goods—particularly essentials like fuel, wheat, fertiliser, and raw materials—thus driving up domestic prices.

Additionally, such increases could damage the port’s reputation among global shippers and negatively impact Bangladesh’s Ease of Doing Business ranking.

The forum called for a suspension of the new rates and a comprehensive, time-bound review in consultation with stakeholders, ensuring that future tariffs are fair, realistic, and aligned with the port’s service-oriented mandate rather than profit motives.