A heated debate has erupted over the sharp increase in charges at private inland container depots (ICDs) in Chattogram. Despite a recent meeting decision at Chattogram Port that additional charges should not be collected without the approval of the Ministry of Shipping, ICD operators under the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA) have continued imposing higher tariffs.
The new charges, introduced on 1 September, mark a steep hike of up to 44% in export container handling fees. This sudden increase has sparked opposition from key trade bodies, including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), which argues the adjustment was unilateral and will impose heavy financial pressure on businesses.
The issue came to a head on September 9, when the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) convened a meeting at the port building with ICD owners, BGMEA, BKMEA, the Shipping Agents Association, the Freight Forwarders Association, and other stakeholders.
During the meeting, the port chairman acknowledged that the dispute could not be fully resolved there. He stressed the need for a mutually acceptable proposal among stakeholders, to be submitted to the CPA. A key outcome of the discussion was a decision to suspend the collection of additional charges until approval from the ministry.
It was further decided that BICDA, BGMEA, BKMEA, the Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association, and other groups would draft and submit a joint proposal within one month.
CPA Secretary Md Omar Faruk told Times of Bangladesh that it was the responsibility of ICD owners to comply with the decision. “The meeting clearly discussed suspending additional charges until the Ministry of Shipping gives approval. Implementing this decision is the ICD owners’ duty.”
New controversy over meeting decision
The matter grew more complicated on 25 September, when BICDA wrote to the CPA claiming that no such decision to suspend charges was taken at the meeting. In the letter, signed by BICDA President Khalilur Rahman, the association argued that no effective tariff committee has existed since the issuance of the Private ICD/CFS Policy in 2016. Although the Ministry of Shipping announced the formation of a tariff committee in 2019, it has not functioned in practice over the past nine years, they claimed.
BICDA further noted that the legal status of the tariff committee, as outlined in Section 11 of the policy, remains under judicial review in the High Court. For this reason, they argued, ICDs had no choice but to adjust tariffs independently.
BICDA Secretary General Ruhul Amin Sikder defended the increase, saying: “Operating costs at ICDs have risen sharply. For years, we absorbed these costs and incurred losses. This adjustment was necessary for survival.”
Ministry calls hike illegal
In contrast, a senior official of the Ministry of Shipping, speaking anonymously, described the hike and its implementation without ministry approval as “illegal.” The official said that after receiving a letter from the CPA, the ministry instructed the port to engage stakeholders in dialogue to resolve the issue. “If any formal instructions are sought by CPA regarding the collection of additional charges, the ministry will take further steps,” the official said.
Former vice president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, Khairul Alam Sujan, insisted that the 9 September meeting did in fact decide to suspend the charges. “The decision to stop collecting additional charges without ministry approval was taken as per our proposal. It is reflected in the meeting minutes. However, since the CPA did not issue a separate order, ICD owners have continued collecting the higher fees,” he said.
Details of the revised charges
Under the revised tariff structure: Handling a 20-foot export container has risen from Tk6,187 to Tk9,900. Fees for 40-foot and 40-foot high-cube containers increased from Tk8,250 to Tk13,200.
A new separate rate of Tk 14,900 has been introduced for 40-foot high-cube and 45-foot containers, previously billed at the same rate as standard 40-foot units.
Transport charges for empty containers also increased: From Tk1,705 to Tk 2,500 for 20-foot Teu, and from Tk3,410 to Tk 4,000 for 40-foot or 45-foot containers.
Import handling charges, however, remain unchanged at Tk12,605 for 20-foot containers and Tk14,557 for 40-foot containers, rates that were last revised in August 2022 following a diesel price hike from Tk80 to Tk114 per litre.
Currently, 21 private ICDs in Chattogram handle about 93% of Bangladesh’s exports – including 83% of readymade garment shipments – and nearly 20% of containerised imports. They also process a significant number of empty containers.
