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Cargo movement at Chattogram Port has slowed to a crawl as workers and transport owners protest against recent increases in service and entry fees, reports bdnews24.com.
The Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) Agents Association observed a four-hour work stoppage on Sunday, while truck, covered van and prime mover owners continued to bar vehicle entry into the port for a second consecutive day.
Protest programmes by the two port-related organisations have disrupted container and cargo transport and delivery activities, leaving operations largely halted.
Although the Chittagong Port Authority insists that “operational activities remain normal,” traders say the port is effectively paralysed.
Truck, covered van and prime mover owners’ associations began their protest on Saturday morning, suspending all vehicle entry in response to a fourfold increase in entry fees -- from Tk 57 to Tk 230. The programme continued through Sunday.
Md Shamsuzzaman Sumon, port affairs secretary of the Bangladesh Covered Van Truck Prime Mover Goods Transport Owners Association, told bdnews24.com: “Our programme is ongoing. Vehicle entry will remain suspended until the issue of the increased entry fee is resolved.”
With vehicles unable to enter, containers and bulk cargo unloaded from ships are not being delivered, raising fears of an impending container backlog. Business operators warn that prolonged disruption could cause major financial losses.
A C&F businessman said agents had halted all work inside the port for four hours on Sunday, suspending the delivery of imported goods.
“Even after resuming work, deliveries could not continue because trucks and prime movers are still barred from entering,” he said.
He described the overall situation as a virtual shutdown of the port.
Port Secretary Omar Faruk acknowledged that vehicles were not entering but maintained that operations were continuing as usual.
Transport leader Shamsuzzaman Sumon said the port authority had held a meeting with stakeholders to address the crisis.
The new fee structure, introduced on Oct 15, raised charges across various service sectors at the port by up to 41 per cent.