Staff Reporter :
A five-day work stoppage by officials at the Chattogram Custom House has severely disrupted operations at the country’s main seaport, creating a backlog of over 4,000 containers and significantly slowing customs processing.
On a typical day, the Chattogram Custom House handles around 2,000 bills of entry for imported goods. However, due to the ongoing pen-down strike, that number has halved, sparking serious concerns about its impact on customs revenue.
Businesses are already feeling the pressure. Traders report rising costs due to extended delays in customs clearance. With imported goods stuck at the port awaiting assessment and release, storage fees and warehouse rents are rapidly increasing.
According to Chattogram Port data, the number of containers in the port yard stood at 40,078 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) on 12 May. By 8:00 am on 19 May, that figure had risen to 44,211 TEUs-an increase of 4,133 TEUs in just seven days.
Taking into account the strike and an earlier slowdown, a total of 7,402 additional TEUs have piled up in the port yard over the past eight days.
Md Obaidul Hoque Alamgir, first joint general secretary of the Chattogram C&F Agents Association, told reporters that importers are bearing the brunt of the disruption.
“The pen-down strike has led to a significant backlog. Documentation for each consignment is taking much longer, and as a result, importers are facing mounting storage and warehouse charges,” he said.
“We urge the authorities to find a lasting solution.”
Port authorities are concerned that continued disruption could severely impact both imports and exports. Perishable goods and industrial raw materials are stuck at the port, potentially affecting production lines and the broader supply chain.
Md Omar Faruk, secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority, acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
“The strike has disrupted container delivery. The number of undelivered containers has increased, and it may take several more days for operations to return to normal,” he said.
Chattogram Port has a maximum capacity of 53,518 TEUs, but for optimal functioning, the yard should ideally not exceed 35,000 TEUs. Surpassing this level risks causing operational bottlenecks and delays.
Despite the strike, the Chattogram Custom House maintains that customs assessments and clearance operations are continuing-albeit at a slower pace.
Deputy Commissioner Saidul Islam said, “Although the pen-down strike continues until 3:00 pm, officers are working until 8:00 pm to process consignments. So far, overall revenue collection has not been significantly affected.”
Custom House data shows that import duty collected from 13 to 18 May this year totaled Tk 1,536 crore, compared to Tk 1,064 crore during the same period in 2024.
However, daily revenue collection during the strike has fluctuated dramatically. On 13 May, revenue stood at Tk 287 crore, rising to Tk 327 crore on 14 May and Tk 374.46 crore on 15 May, before plummeting to just Tk 0.54 crore on 16 May. Collections partially recovered to Tk 205.92 crore on 17 May and Tk 341.25 crore on 18 May.
The number of bills of entry submitted showed a similar trend-dropping from 1,135 on 13 May to just 5 on 16 May, before climbing to 654 on 17 May and 485 on 18 May. These figures remain far below the normal daily average of around 2,000.
This afternoon, clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents and their staff were seen waiting outside several Custom House offices, holding documents for pending consignments. The customs clearance and assessment halls were mostly deserted.
One C&F staff member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he submitted a file on 15 May for two tonnes of raw materials intended for the garment sector. As of 19 May, the file had yet to be processed.
“Because of the delay, we’re being hit with extra freight and storage costs,” he said.
