Train shortage disrupts container transport from Ctg port

The transportation of containers by train from Chittagong port has declined due to a shortage of engines and railway staff, resulting in container congestion at the port.

Besides, a lack of container trains has led to a reduction in revenue of Bangladesh Railway (BR).

Amid growing container congestion, the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has called on the BR to urgently increase the number of wagons and locomotives to ensure uninterrupted operations at the Inland Container Depots (ICDs) connected to the port.

In a letter sent to the Chief Operating Superintendent of the BR Eastern Zone on 9 July, the CPA warned of an imminent gridlock if immediate steps are not taken.

With the ICD storage capacity nearing its limit, CPA officials said that handling additional containers is becoming increasingly difficult. They also anticipate a rise in Dhaka-bound imports in the coming days, which could worsen the situation without adequate railway support.

Data from July 1 to 8 show that the port managed to dispatch only 68 TEUs per day on average. The shortage of trains has caused containers destined for Dhaka to remain at the port's ICD yard for up to 12 to 15 days-delays that have already begun to hurt importers financially and disrupt supply chains.

"To prevent further delays and ensure smooth container flow, it is now critical to ensure the daily dispatch of at least 200 TEUs to Dhaka ICD by increasing the number of wagons and engines," the letter said.

The CPA's request highlights increasing concern over logistical bottlenecks at the country's largest seaport. With trade volumes growing, failure to address the rail shortfall could severely disrupt national supply chains and export-import operations.

The BR introduced container services on the Dhaka-Chattogram route in 1986-87. Presently, the BR has four scheduled pairs of freight trains for container transport, mainly carrying raw materials, marble, stone, and food grains.

According to the sources in BR, shortage of engines and staff has forced the BR traffic department to run only one or two pairs of loaded container trains per day. BR needs at least 13 engines per day to run scheduled freight trains, but it operates only three to four engines regularly.

It may be mentioned that transporting an import container from Chittagong Port to Kamalapur ICD in Dhaka by rail costs around Tk 28,000 ($245), while an export container costs around Tk 25,000 ($219). On the other hand, a prime mover charges up to Tk 35,000 ($292) to transport a 20-foot container on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to industrial units in Dhaka.

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