Ctg port suspends carrying goods through railway as Dhaka ICD’s capacity exceeded
Two container-loaded trains stuck at CGPY with 62 TEUs (Twenty foot equivalent units) containers for the suspension
The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has suspended carrying cargo through the railway route between Chattogram port and Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD) because the depot has run out of storage capacity.
"We have suspended carrying goods in the route for an indefinite period as the Dhaka ICD has told us the ICD yard lacks storage capacity," Abdul Malek, chief yard master of Chattogram Goods Port Yard (CGPY), told The Business Standard.
"There will be no cargo train from Sunday. The last cargo train left for Dhaka on Saturday at 3pm," he added.
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Two trains with 62 TEUs (Twenty foot equivalent units) containers remain stuck at the port yard now.
However, cargo transportation on other routes -- Dhaka Tejgaon, Dhaka Cantonment, Sylhet, Srimangal, Bogura and Rangpur -- will remain unchanged.
The inland container depot is in the capital's Kamalapur area.
The Dhaka ICD has a storage capacity of 4,000 TEUs.
Every day three trains carrying containers run back and forth between Dhaka ICD and the port of Chattogram.
Following the nation-wide public holiday from Thursday, the railway become the first choice of businessmen for transporting cargo, as trucks and covered vans are unwilling to ply amid coronavirus fear.
Considering the demand, Bangladesh Railway increased cargo trains from three to six on the route.
MD Faurk Alam, general secretary of Dhaka Customs Agents Association, said, "During this lockdown, the railway is the only recourse for businessmen. But such suspension and capacity shortage remains a mystery. Now there will be a huge rush for delivery before Ramadan. The port authority should keep their yard empty. If it continues, a huge backlog will be created. It will affect the Chattogram port yard (CGPY) storage capacity as well."
