A FIVE-DAY work stoppage by officials at the Chattogram Custom House has severely disrupted operations at the country's main seaport, leading to a backlog of over 4,000 containers and a significant drop in customs processing, according to Bangladesh's The Business Standard.
On average, around 2,000 bills of entry are submitted daily for imported goods at the Chattogram Custom House.
However, due to the ongoing pen-down strike, this number has dropped by half, raising concerns over its impact on customs revenue. Businesses are already feeling the pinch.
Traders report rising costs from prolonged delays in customs clearance, including mounting container storage fees and warehouse rent, as imported goods remain stuck at the port without assessment or release.
According to Chattogram Port data, 40,078 TEU containers were in the port yard on May 12. By 8 am on May 19, that number had surged to 44,211 TEUs - an increase of 4,133 TEU within just one week.
In total, 7,402 additional TEU have accumulated in the port yard over the past week or so, considering both the recent strike and a previous slowdown.
Md Obaidul Hoque Alamgir, first joint general secretary of the Chattogram C&F Agents Association, told The Business Standard that importers are bearing the brunt of the delays.
"Due to the customs officials' pen-down strike, there's already a significant backlog at the port. Each product's documentation is taking extra time to process. This is increasing the cost burden on importers through additional storage and warehouse fees," he said.
"We urge a permanent resolution to this issue."
https://www.shippingazette.com/news?news_id=9250500000593
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