Over 41,000 Containers Stuck at Ctg Port Amid Strike

Container congestion at Chattogram Port has surged to 41,314 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), as customs clearance activities remain virtually halted due to a strike by customs officials.

The port, which typically handles around 35,000 TEUs, is now overwhelmed with imported goods as the strike entered its second consecutive day.

The work stoppage, organised by the NBR Reform Unity Council, began at 9am on Saturday (25 May) and is scheduled to continue until 5pm, said Saidul Islam, spokesperson and deputy commissioner of Chattogram Custom House. A similar strike was observed the previous day.

The protest is in response to the government’s proposed plan to dismantle the National Board of Revenue (NBR), a move that has sparked strong opposition among customs officials.

Sources from the customs agent community report that around 90% of customs clearance and assessment operations have been suspended. As a result, delivery of imported goods has come to a near standstill, just ahead of the Eid season.

On a typical day, between 1,200 to 2,500 consignments are assessed at Chattogram Custom House, with around 80% cleared the same day. The strike has disrupted this flow entirely.

There are approximately 2,800 C&F (Clearing and Forwarding) agents at the port, with about 1,200 actively working. Nearly 10,000 workers and staff are employed under these agents.

With operations suspended, not only is trade paralysed, but many C&F agents are facing difficulty in paying their employees. If the strike continues, it could seriously disrupt market supply ahead of Eid.