CPA reinstates higher port tariffs

Staff reporter :

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has officially reinstated the higher tariff rates introduced in September, following the High Court’s disposal of a legal challenge.

In a circular issued on 30 November by the Office of the Chief Finance and Accounting Officer, the CPA confirmed that all charges on goods, vessels, and related services will now be collected under SRO No. 430-Ain/2025 dated 29 October 2025.

The move follows the High Court Division’s decision on 25 November to dispose of Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal No. 4430/2025, effectively lifting the earlier 30-day stay.

The tariff increase had initially been notified through SRO No. 364-Ain/2025 on 14 September and implemented on 15 October after a one-month deferral due to stakeholder concerns.
A writ petition had prompted the High Court to issue a temporary stay on 9 November. With the stay now lifted, the CPA confirmed that the higher tariff structure will apply across all port operations.

Shipping agents and importers had earlier raised concerns about rising logistics costs and potential inflationary effects on imported goods, while industry bodies are yet to comment on the reinstatement.

The higher tariffs are expected to boost revenue for Bangladesh’s leading seaport, which handles over 92 percent of the country’s seaborne trade.