After a one-month postponement, the Chattogram Port Authority has announced that increased tariffs across various service sectors will come into effect from 12:00 a.m. on October 14, meaning charges will apply under the new rates from October 15.
On Wednesday, Chattogram Port Secretary Md. Omar Faruk confirmed the development, recalling that during a workshop held on September 20, port users had raised objections to the tariff hike in the presence of the shipping adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain. In response, the adviser announced the decision to defer implementation by one month. The original tariff circular had been issued on September 15.
Further confirmation came in a notification signed on September 30 by the port’s Chief Finance and Accounts Officer, Md. Abdus Shakur. The notice stated that all vessels, containers, and cargo bills at the port after 12:00 a.m. on October 14 would be charged at the revised rates. Customs clearing and forwarding agents, as well as other port users, will also be required to pay the increased charges. Registered shipping agents have been instructed to maintain sufficient balances in their designated bank accounts to obtain no-objection certificates (NOC) for vessel clearance under the new tariffs.
Earlier, a circular issued on September 14 had announced tariff increases of up to 41 percent across various port services. However, facing backlash from businesses and stakeholders, the shipping adviser deferred implementation for a month.
Currently, the port levies tariffs under 52 categories. Of these, 23 will be directly affected by the revised rates. According to the official gazette, charges for rent, tolls, fees, and tariffs will be calculated on the basis of the US dollar exchange rate, fixed at BDT 122 per dollar. Any fluctuation in the exchange rate will automatically adjust the applicable tariffs.
The sharpest increase has been imposed in the container handling sector. The tariff for a 20-foot container has been raised to BDT 16,243 from the previous BDT 11,849, marking an increase of nearly 37 percent. For import containers, charges will rise by BDT 5,720, while export containers will cost BDT 3,045 more. In addition, each container movement will incur an additional cost of around BDT 3,000. Overall, container transportation costs will rise between 25 percent and 41 percent under the new structure.
