A strike by customs officials protesting an ordinance to abolish the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has caused significant disruptions at Chattogram Port, leading to container congestion and delays in import-export activities.
As of Monday, May 26, 2025, noon, 43,827 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) containers, including 5,747 empty ones, were jammed inside the port, while 17 ships carrying 22,626 TEU containers awaited unloading at outer anchorage.
Port authorities attribute the delays to stalled customs clearances during the strike, which reduced the unloading of goods and increased container build-up.
The 11-day strike, led by the NBR Reform Unity Council from May 15 to May 25, halted operations at Chittagong Customs House, the country’s largest revenue-collecting agency, causing financial losses for importers and exporters. Typically, around 7,000 bills of entry and export are processed daily.
The strike ended on May 25 night after talks with a high-level government delegation, and normal operations resumed Monday morning. In the last 24 hours, 9,016 TEU containers were handled inside the port, compared to 44,211 TEUs the previous Monday.
Of the 111 ships at the port’s jetty and outer anchorage, 68 are unloading, while 43 await berthing. Recent activity includes 4,525 TEUs landed from ships, 79 TEUs from Dhaka ICD, 2,100 TEUs of export containers, and 1,054 empty TEUs from off-docks.
Additionally, 4,491 TEUs were shipped, 44 TEUs sent to Dhaka ICD, 601 TEUs of import goods to off-docks, 1,170 empty TEUs to off-docks, and 1,340 TEUs delivered directly to importers, with 1,814 TEUs unloaded from the port.
ASM Rezaul Karim Swapan, Customs Affairs Secretary of the Chittagong Customs Agents Association, told Jago News, “The strike delayed customs clearances, causing a pile-up of goods and documents. With operations resuming, we expect increased clearances and faster release of goods this week.”
Port Secretary Md Omar Faruk added, “The port’s container capacity is over 53,000 TEUs, and we currently have 43,500. Operations are normalizing post-strike, and we anticipate full recovery before Eid.”