After a two-day halt, activities at the country’s busiest seaport have returned to normal following the withdrawal of a work stoppage by customs officials. The port’s import and export operations resumed in full swing from Monday morning (30 June), marking the end of a disruption that had severely impacted national trade.
The shutdown was initiated by the NBR Reform Unity Council, which had ordered the closure of all customs houses and stations across Bangladesh, including the Chittagong Custom House, from Saturday until late Sunday evening. The stoppage halted customs clearance processes, effectively paralyzing cargo movement at the port, a critical hub responsible for over 90% of Bangladesh’s international trade.
Following a meeting between the NBR Reform Unity Council and leading business representatives in Dhaka on Sunday night, the council announced the withdrawal of its work stoppage. Customs operations began to resume late Sunday, and by Monday morning, full port activities, including loading and unloading, were underway.
Saidul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Customs, confirmed that all import-export activities had fully restarted. “Though operations began last night, all activities are now fully active from this morning,” he stated.
One notable example of the port’s resumed activity was the vessel MV Amalfi Bay, which had been idle at the jetty since Sunday morning. After receiving customs clearance late Sunday night, the ship started unloading, and by Monday morning, 310 containers had already been offloaded. Additionally, a container vessel carrying export goods departed earlier today, signaling a return to normalcy.
Md. Omar Faruk, Secretary of the Chittagong Port Authority, expressed satisfaction with the development, stating, “With the withdrawal of the customs officials’ program, container handling, goods transfers, and clearance operations have resumed at full capacity.”
Industry representatives also welcomed the swift resolution. Saiful Alam, President of the C&F Agents Association, noted, “There was a complete standstill in import-export operations for two days. Customs clearance and approval processes, including ship registration, resumed last night. With full-scale operations restarting today, we expect port activities to normalize within a few days.”
The disruption had raised concerns among traders and exporters, given the port’s vital role in the country’s economy. Business communities appreciated the quick resolution and expressed hope that future deadlocks could be avoided through constructive dialogue and cooperation.
The port’s swift return to full operation is seen as a positive sign for Bangladesh’s international trade prospects moving forward.
