Container and cargo handling at Chattogram Port declined in February because of a strike and election-related disruptions, but overall activity still grew in the first eight months of fiscal year 2025-26.
Data from Chattogram Port Authority and Chattogram Custom House show container handling rose 4.24 per centMd Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury and cargo handling 9.06 per cent year on year during July–February, while customs revenue increased 8.42 per cent over the same period.
Officials said a two-phase strike by port workers from 31 January to 9 February, protesting plans to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal to foreign operators, disrupted port operations and customs clearance.
The disruption led to lower container and cargo handling in February and a drop in customs revenue compared with January.
Container handling at Chattogram Port stood at 249,265 TEUs in February, down from 258,090 TEUs in the same month of the previous fiscal year, marking a decline of 3.42 per cent.
On a month-on-month basis, handling fell from 2,78,769 TEUs in January to 2,49,265 TEUs in February, a decrease of 29,504 TEUs or about 10.6 per cent.
However, total container handling during July–February reached 23,11,366 TEUs, compared with 22,76,690 TEUs in the same period a year earlier, reflecting growth of 4.24 per cent.
Monthly data show the highest container throughput of 3,26,523 TEUs was recorded in August, while September also exceeded 3,12,000 TEUs before activity gradually slowed from December.
Cargo handling followed a similar pattern.
In February, Chattogram Port handled 11,448,145 tonnes of cargo, up from 11,316,453 tonnes in the same month of the previous fiscal year, representing year-on-year growth of about 1.16 per cent.
Compared with January’s 13,015,722 tonnes, cargo handling fell by about 1,567,577 tonnes in February, a decline of roughly 12.04 per cent.
Despite the monthly dip, total cargo handling during July–February rose to 92,031,380 tonnes from 84,384,859 tonnes a year earlier, showing growth of 9.06 per cent.
The highest cargo volume of the current fiscal year was recorded in October at 12,362,941 tonnes, while January also exceeded 13 million tonnes.
Chattogram Port Authority Secretary and spokesperson Syed Refayet Hamim said container and cargo handling declined slightly due to the port workers’ strike and government holidays related to the national election.
“We have already managed to clear about 80 per cent of the backlog and expect operations to return to normal in March,” he said.
Customs revenue collection also showed year-on-year growth despite a monthly decline.
Chattogram Custom House collected Tk6,680 crore in February of fiscal year 2025–26, compared with Tk6,100 crore in the same month of the previous fiscal year, marking an increase of Tk580 crore or 9.51 per cent.
However, revenue fell by Tk320 crore from Tk7,000 crore collected in January.
During July–February, the customs house collected Tk51,682 crore, up from Tk47,665 crore in the same period a year earlier, representing a growth of 8.42 per cent.
Chattogram Custom House spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Sharif Mohammad Al Amin said import volumes declined in January due to the national election and the Chinese New Year holidays, which affected February revenue compared with January.
He added that revenue collection still recorded positive year-on-year growth both in February and in the first eight months of the fiscal year.
