Skip to content

Saturday | February 21, 2026 | Dhaka

Chattogram Port Deadlock: Prolonged delays may lead to price hikes DCCI

Business Report :

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) yesterday urged the government to take immediate steps to restore normal operations at Chattogram Port as work stoppage by dock workers over the leasing of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at the port activities to a near standstill, warning that the prolonged shutdown is severely disrupting trade and could have far-reaching consequences for the national economy.

Describing Chattogram Port as the lifeline of Bangladesh’s trade, the chamber said nearly 92 percent of the country’s import-export activities are handled through the port, with an average clearance of around 260,000 Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) per month, or about 9,000 TEUs daily.

(DCCI) also expressed concern over the ongoing shutdown of Chattogram port and said this may trigger imported prices in the local market.

“As the month of Ramadan is just days ahead, prolonged delays in the clearance of imported goods may lead to price hikes in the local market, which would negatively impact consumers of all classes,” said the trade lobby in a press statement on Thursday.

“In addition, this unexpected deadlock in cargo handling is likely to increase operational costs across trade and investment activities, creating an extra burden on both businesses and consumers,” read the statement.

Nearly 92 per cent of the country’s import and export trade is handled through Chattogram Port, the country’s largest.

However, since 4 February, port operations have halted completely due to a workers’ strike, who are demanding the cancellation of a deal leasing the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to Dubai-based operator DP World.

According to the DCCI statement, approximately 54,000 containers of goods have been stranded at the port so far.

Due to this delay in clearance, businessmen are incurring additional costs of Tk10,000 to Tk15,000 per day. This ongoing shutdown is having a severe impact on the country’s export sector in particular.