The import and export activities in Bangladesh had witnessed severe disruptions during the unrest centring quota reform movement across the country, and internet shutdowns.
The ill effect of the situation is far from over, as the Chattogram Port is still grappling with the heavy gridlock of not only the import containers but export containers at private depots as well.
Containers carrying export goods from the depot are being handed over to vessels every day, but the congestion shows no signs of going down. This has created a degree of uncertainty about the timely export of goods.
Due to the low number of deliveries taken from the port, the number of imported containers is on the rise too.
Data from the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) show that the number of containers carrying export goods in 19 depots of Chattogram last Thursday morning was 13,187. There are usually around 6,000-7,000 containers during regular times.
There were also more than 2,000 covered vans carrying export goods outside the depot.
Insiders say the container congestion may increase further in the coming days. Because, after being closed for a few days, garment factories resumed operations from Thursday.
Many factory owners had not sent goods to depots due to the uncertainty centring transportation of export goods by road during the protests. These products, currently stuck in factories waiting for export, are now arriving at the depot.
Speaking to The Business Post, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Vice President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury said, “The situation is normalising after the formation of an interim government.
“The factories have been working in full swing since August 7. However, since the pressure of goods at the depot has increased, the port needs to take special measures, so that a larger number of containers can be shipped from the depot than usual.”
According to the BICDA data for the last two days, loading cargo from the depot to the container vessels has witnessed a decline in the port. On the other hand, the rate of products that arrive from factories to depots in covered vans is going up.
Last Tuesday, 2,312 containers of export goods were sent from the depot to the port. The next day, this figure dropped to 2,003. The number of covered vans that arrived from factories to depots on Tuesday was 1,509. The next day, this number increased to 2,102.
BICDA members say in order to reduce the congestion, the number of container ships in the port needs to be increased compared to the previous times. This will help boost the rate of container exports from depots.
However, in this case, the pressure of import containers arriving at the port may also increase. That too can be handled if a depot is allowed to temporarily accept import goods containers for a month.
Just like the depots, the port is now gridlocked with containers and ships. The number of ships waiting at sea to dock at the port jetty is rising.
During the last few days, around 15 ships have been waiting at the outer anchorage. The jetties too are gridlocked with containers carrying imported goods. The number of containers carrying imported goods at the port has exceeded 41,000, insiders say.
Commenting on the matter, Chattogram Port Director (Traffic) Enamul Karim said, “The rate of goods clearance from the port is increasing, as the situation is normalising. Dealing with 41,000 or 42,000 containers is not a problem for us now.
“And the 13,000 containers accumulated in the depot is not that much. There are no problems from our end. When the export containers arrive at the port, we will ship them.”
