Chattogram Port, the country’s main seaport, reported an increase in the handling of imported cargo containers in October 2024 compared to September.
However, while container handling of imported goods increased, the handling of export goods decreased by 13%.
According to Chittagong Port, import cargo container handling rose to 120,225 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), an increase of 1,823 TEUs or 2.34%. In contrast, the handling of export containers declined by 13%, dropping to 66,932 TEUs from 75,603 TEUs in September.
Traders said the country’s political changes, violence and unstable situation have had a negative impact on the clothing industry. As a result, exports have decreased. Exports are expected to increase during this time on Christmas Day, the biggest religious festival of Christians in Europe and America. But it has not increased compared to that.
Containers are loaded at 19 private depots before all types of goods exported through Chittagong port are shipped. Depot work has also been decreasing in recent times.
Ruhul Amin Sikder, secretary general of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depot Association, an organisation of depot owners, said that the export consignments that were stuck due to anti-discrimination movement and violence in July are shipped in September. Shipments fell further in October. But at this time the export is supposed to be more.
He also said that Bangladesh’s export is mainly dependent on imports. In particular, garments have to be prepared by importing raw materials in the ready-made garment industry. Due to the dollar crisis, LC complexity, and the weak condition of the latest banks, the importers have become helpless.
As a result, export volume as well as export container handling has decreased.
