Staff Reporter:
The High Court today (9 November) suspended for one month the 41percent tariff hike recently introduced by the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA).
Along with the stay order, the court issued a rule asking why the tariff increase should not be scrapped permanently. The bench of Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddiqua issued the order after a primary hearing on a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Maritime Law Society (BMLS).
The court directed the shipping secretary, the CPA chairman, and other relevant officials to comply with the order and submit their responses within four weeks.
The CPA implemented the revised tariff from midnight on 14 October its first tariff adjustment since 1986 despite repeated calls from port users to put the hike on hold.
Earlier, BMLS President Mohiuddin Abdul Kadir had served legal notices to three ministries and the CPA chairman, urging suspension of the new charges.
According to the notice, average charges for a 20-foot container were raised from Tk11,849 to Tk16,243, resulting in an extra cost of Tk5,720 on imported containers and Tk3,045 on exported ones. Additionally, ship-to-shore container handling fees jumped from $43.40 to $68.
BMLS argued that pegging the tariffs to the US dollar would push costs even higher if the taka weakens, ultimately impacting trade, essential goods supply, industrial inputs, production expenses, and inflation.
The organisation further alleged that the consultancy process lacked transparency, claiming that none of the consultants involved had relevant port or maritime expertise.
It also cited Section 33(5) of the Port Act 1908, which prohibits enforcement of new tariffs within 60 days of gazette publication. The tariff, announced on 14 September, took effect on 14 October, making it unlawful, BMLS said.
Stakeholders have demanded suspension of the tariff and formation of a joint committee to review the decision.
They also pointed out that while Bangladesh recently secured relief from US Trump-era tariffs, imposing steep domestic charges would undermine exporters.
After the authorities failed to respond to its legal notice within 72 hours, BMLS proceeded to file the writ, leading to today’s court intervention.
