Special Steps Taken to Keep Chattogram Port Active During Eid

Authorities have launched several initiatives to ensure uninterrupted import-export trade at the country's prime seaport during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha holidays. The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has formed three separate task forces, while the Custom House has deployed 10 special teams to maintain round-the-clock clearance activities.

The CPA’s task forces will supervise critical operational zones. They will oversee the lightering of bulk cargo at the outer anchorage, manage container movements and yards at the jetty, and ensure the overall security of the port waters.

CPA Member Commodore Amin Ahmed Abdullah confirmed the deployment, stating that two task forces will handle cargo unloading and jetty-yard management directly, while the third will focus strictly on security.

A senior customs official assured businesses that customs teams will be stationed at all key points to ensure no delivery services are disrupted during the vacation.

Port data shows that while Chattogram Port handles an average of 8,700 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers daily during regular times, daily deliveries hover around 4,500 TEUs. However, deliveries typically drop during the Eid holidays due to the extended closure of garment factories and businesses.

According to the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), shipping pressure naturally peaks right before Eid. To avoid holiday congestion, many importers and exporters are currently fast-tracking their shipments, leading to a sudden surge in pre-holiday port activity.