41,314 containers stuck at Ctg port as custom house strike continues for 2nd day

Port congestion at Chattogram:

• 17 ships carrying 24,000 import containers waiting at outer anchorage
• 42,315 TEUs are stored at port yard
• Port yard has a max capacity of 53,518 TEU
• 90% of customs activities were suspended
• Normally 1,200 - 2,500 consignments are assessed per day, 80% cleared the same day
• At Benapole Port, goods congestion exceeded 70,000 tonnes, 

Bangladesh's busiest port was once again paralysed – not due to natural disaster or global supply chain shocks, but by the very hands that are supposed to keep the wheels turning: the revenue officials.

Seventeen ships carrying 24,000 import containers are waiting at the outer anchorage to berth at the jetty, while  42,315 TEUs were stored as of today (25 May).

With customs operations at Chattogram nearly suspended for the second consecutive day – before being finally called off last night – importers are being squeezed by a tightening grip of penalties and procedural deadlock. Each day of delay now incurs a port demurrage fee of $38 per 40-foot container. From the eighth day, that figure jumps to nearly $180. On top of that, shipping lines are imposing an additional penalty of $180 plus VAT per day from the eighth day since the vessel anchored offshore.

Infographic: TBS

"We are being punished for a government decision that we neither made nor can influence," said one importer, echoing a sentiment that is now widespread across the trade community.

Another importer said this was not merely a disruption – it is a breakdown in governance. At a time when Bangladesh is already contending with inflationary pressure and fragile supply chains, halting customs operations at its largest seaport reveals the state's limited bandwidth to manage reform and transition.

The government's plan to split the National Board of Revenue (NBR) may have administrative logic. But its rollout, without stakeholder consultation or contingency planning, has exposed a vacuum in policy execution.

According to customs agent sources, over 90% of customs clearance and assessment activities at the Chattogram Custom House were suspended. As a result, container deliveries from the port have dropped by almost half, creating a serious backlog in the port yard.

"On a regular day, between 1,200 and 2,500 consignments are assessed, with around 80% cleared the same day," said Kazi Mahmud Imam Bilu, former secretary general of the Chattogram Customs Agents Association. "Now, the clearance process has come to a complete stop."

The fallout is reverberating far beyond the docks. Industrial production lines are beginning to stall. The supply chain is under stress. Export competitiveness is being eroded. And with Eid around the corner, traders fear shortages and a new surge in consumer prices.

"Inflation will worsen," warned another businessman. "We have no choice but to pass on these additional costs to consumers."

Mounting pressure at the port yard

Chattogram port authorities say the backlog is growing fast. On May 11, there were 36,809 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) stored at the port yard. By May 20, this figure had risen to 44,231 TEUs — an increase of over 7,400 TEUs in just nine days.

While a brief suspension of the strike on May 19 allowed for some relief, bringing the number down to 41,314 TEUs by May 24, the full-day strike that resumed on May 24 pushed the count back up to 42,315 TEUs by May 25.

The latest announcement regarding the strike is expected to ease the backlog. 

According to Chattogram Port data, the port yard has a maximum capacity of 53,518 TEUs, and as of now, 17 ships carrying around 24,000 containers of imported goods are anchored outer anchorage, awaiting berthing access.

Nazmul Haque, Executive Director of Saif Powertech – the terminal operator for NCT and CCT – told TBS that the impact of last Ramadan's extended Eid holiday and multiple strikes by prime mover drivers are still lingering. "Now, the ongoing NBR officials' strike is compounding the crisis," he said. "As the Eid-ul-Azha holidays begin, the number of ships waiting at the outer anchorage will rise sharply, and there will be terrible congestion in the port yard."

Chattogram Port's Chief Personnel Officer, Md. Nasir Uddin, echoed the concern. "Due to the customs strike, the expected volume of goods is not being unloaded," he said. "This is causing daily increases in congestion. However, the port remains operational 24/7."

Chattogram Clearing and Forwarding Agents Employees Union General Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan described the chaos, saying, "We can't even submit import files that are three to four days old. C&F agents are going door to door, but customs officials are not accepting documents."

Meanwhile, a goods congestion has developed at Benapole port. Although the port has a storage capacity of 51,000 metric tonnes, reduced clearance activities have caused this to exceed 70,000 tonnes.

The strike began on 14 May, though customs clearance was briefly active on 20 and 22 May.