Customs Strike at Chittagong Port: Offices Locked, 30,000 Containers Stranded

Staff Reporter

Chittagong, June 29, 2025 (BDD) — The ongoing “complete shutdown” program by National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials has led to a lockdown of the Chittagong Customs House, bringing import-export activities to a complete halt. Approximately 30,000 containers are reportedly stuck at the port, causing significant concern among businesses.

According to the Chittagong Port Authority, the port’s capacity is 53,518 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), but around 30,000 containers are currently awaiting clearance. The customs officials’ strike, which began on May 14 in protest of the NBR’s dissolution, continued into its second day on Sunday (June 29). This has halted customs clearance, scanning, and cargo inspection, leading to significant delays in container releases.

Chittagong Port Secretary Md. Omar Faruk stated, “Due to the customs officials’ program, the delivery of imported containers and the loading of export containers have completely stopped, slowing down port operations.” He noted that while 3,500 to 4,000 containers are typically cleared daily, this number has drastically reduced.

Port sources indicate that 17 ships carrying around 20,000 containers are waiting at the outer anchorage. Delays in container clearance have prevented these ships from docking at jetties, further complicating import-export activities. Additionally, 500 export containers are stranded at Dhaka’s Kamalapur ICD due to suspended train services for security reasons.

Mohammad Belal, Vice President of the Bangladesh Importers Association, said, “The strike has halted the supply of industrial raw materials, severely impacting garment businesses. Importers are also facing fourfold storage rent charges.”

He urged the government and NBR to intervene swiftly to resolve the crisis. Chittagong Customs House Deputy Commissioner Saidul Islam confirmed, “Due to full support for the program, no work is being done at the customs house.” However, businesses remain hopeful that operations may normalize from Monday, potentially easing the congestion.