Ctg port to hold meeting with stakeholders to discuss revised tariff on 10 Nov
The meeting comes after a sweeping revision of port fees that business groups say will sharply raise the cost of trade
The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) will hold a meeting with stakeholders on Monday, 10 November, to discuss the recently revised tariff schedule and related port charges.
According to an office notice issued on Tuesday and signed by CPA secretary Omar Fauk, Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain will preside over the meeting.
It will begin at 3:30pm in the conference room of the Chittagong Port Bhaban and will be attended by CPA officials along with representatives of major trade and transport associations.
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CPA secretary Omar Fauk confirmed the issuance of the notice to The Business Standard.
The meeting comes after a sweeping revision of port fees that business groups say will sharply raise the cost of trade. The new tariff schedule, which took effect on 15 October, increased a wide range of container handling and service charges, with average hikes of around 41% for key items.
Business representatives have warned that the hikes will hurt exporters, importers, and consumers, arguing that the changes were imposed without adequate consultation.
Port users in Chattogram organised protests and even issued a seven-day ultimatum demanding the increases be withdrawn. Transport operators also briefly suspended vehicle access to the port over a steep rise in entry fees.
Legal and governance questions have further intensified the dispute. The Bangladesh Maritime Law Society has served a legal notice challenging the new tariff as unlawful, while economists and traders have raised concerns about dollar-linked charges amplifying the impact of exchange rate fluctuations.
Critics say the timing and scale of the increase leave little room for businesses already strained by congestion and logistics delays.
Meanwhile, the High Court has issued a rule questioning the legality of the CPA's enforced tariff schedule, following a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Container Shipping Association (BCSA).
The upcoming meeting is expected to focus on immediate operational adjustments, possible relief measures for small and medium exporters, a timeline for phased implementation, and mechanisms for improved stakeholder consultation.
Officials have indicated they are open to discussions, while business groups are seeking either a rollback or a gradual enforcement plan to ease the burden on port users.
This will be the first high-level meeting since the tariff came into effect. Traders and transport operators are viewing it as a test of whether the CPA and the shipping ministry will address the economic and legal concerns or stand firm on the new structure.
Earlier, in August, the shipping adviser held a meeting with business leaders at the Ministry of Shipping, which ended without resolution. The ministry later issued an SRO on 14 September, introducing the revised tariff with effect from 15 September.
Following backlash at a workshop held at the CPA auditorium on 20 September, the shipping adviser postponed implementation for one month and assured further discussions with stakeholders.
However, the CPA went ahead and implemented the new tariff structure on 15 October, issuing a notice the previous day without holding the promised talks, triggering widespread protests from port users.
