The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has urged Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam to take immediate steps to curb the recent rise in piracy and theft targeting foreign commercial vessels at the outer anchorage of Chattogram Port, warning that such incidents could undermine Bangladesh’s maritime trade and international reputation.
In a letter sent to the minister on Wednesday, CCCI President Mohammad Amirul Haque called for stronger Coast Guard patrols in vulnerable areas, enhanced intelligence surveillance, the introduction of international-standard maritime security measures and swift legal action against those responsible for the attacks.
The Chamber expressed concern that three foreign commercial vessels have fallen victim to piracy at the port’s outer anchorage over the past month. During the incidents, pirates allegedly looted ship equipment, spare parts and other valuables worth crores of taka.
According to the letter, ship operators reported that despite informing the Coast Guard and port authorities during the attacks, they did not receive immediate assistance, raising serious concerns among foreign shipowners, shipping agents and seafarers.
Highlighting the strategic importance of Chattogram Port, the Chamber noted that around 90 percent of Bangladesh’s import and export trade is handled through the port. Ongoing government development projects are expected to double its container handling capacity by 2035 and transform it into a regional investment and transshipment logistics hub.
However, recurring piracy incidents could damage the port’s international standing and erode the confidence of global shipping companies.
The Chamber warned that security lapses at the outer anchorage pose a significant threat not only to the shipping industry but also to the national economy, international trade and Bangladesh’s image abroad.
Continued attacks, it said, could lead to higher marine insurance premiums, operational delays and increased trade costs, undermining the government’s efforts to improve the country’s ease of doing business and reduce the cost of doing business.
Referring to the latest report of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP), the letter noted that no piracy or armed robbery incidents were recorded at Chittagong Port between January and April this year. It credited that achievement to the coordinated efforts of the Chattogram Port Authority and the Bangladesh Coast Guard under a zero-tolerance policy.
However, the Chamber cautioned that the recent attacks could negatively affect future international assessments and tarnish Bangladesh’s maritime reputation.
The business body called for prompt and impartial investigations into each incident, exemplary punishment of those involved, implementation of internationally accepted maritime security measures and round-the-clock surveillance to restore the confidence of international shipping companies and seafarers.
It also urged the Shipping Minister to order increased Coast Guard patrols in high-risk areas, strengthen intelligence monitoring, launch special operations against criminal syndicates and receivers of stolen goods, and take immediate measures to ensure the safety and security of ships waiting at the port’s outer anchorage.
