Transport operators halt vehicle access to Ctg Port over Tk172 entry fee hike
Entry fee hiked to Tk230 from Tk57.50 per vehicle
Container and goods transport operators in Chattogram Port suspended operations yesterday, protesting at what they described as an "arbitrary increase" in the port's entry fee.
The port authorities issued an office order on 13 October, setting the new entry fee at Tk200 plus 15% VAT, bringing the total to Tk230 per heavy vehicle – up from the previous Tk57.50, according to transport associations.
In a statement following an emergency meeting held on Thursday, leaders of the Chattogram Inter-District Goods Transport Association, the Chattogram Truck and Covered Van Workers' Union, and the Prime Mover and Flatbed Owners' Association said the new fees were imposed without consulting the main stakeholders.
"We handle around 85% of the port's cargo. Before deciding on such a major change, the port authority should have discussed the issue with us. We have protested this arbitrary decision before and urged the port to withdraw it, but no action was taken," the associations said in a joint statement.
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They added that several organisations had already stopped sending vehicles into the port earlier this week in protest against the fee hike.
In view of the ongoing standoff, the associations decided at Thursday's meeting to halt all types of vehicles from entering the port from 6am today, calling it a "temporary suspension."
The leaders urged all their members and affiliated groups to cooperate in implementing the decision until further notice.
Chattogram Prime Mover and Flatbed Owners' Association General Secretary Mohammad Hossain said that this is not a work stoppage or a strike.
"The port authority suddenly increased the entry fee without clarifying who will bear the additional cost – the owners or the workers. That's why trailers have not been operating since 15 October," he told TBS.
The suspension has raised concerns among port users. Business leaders fear that if the situation persists, container movement could face a serious backlog, disrupting export and import operations.
Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Omar Faruk, however, said port operations remain normal.
"The port is functioning as usual, though there are complaints that trailer owners are preventing the movement of some vehicles," he told TBS.
Admitting some impact, he added, "We are assessing the situation."
