Truck-trailer entry banned at Chittagong Port

In protest against the Chittagong Port Authority increasing the entry fee for heavy vehicles by more than four times, transport operators have banned the entry of all types of containers and cargo vehicles. Heavy vehicles are not being allowed to enter the port area from this Saturday (October 18) morning.
Transport owners and workers’ organizations said that the Security Department of the Chittagong Port Authority issued an office order (No. 223/25) on October 13. According to that order, the new entry fee for each heavy vehicle has been fixed at Tk 200. Adding 15 percent value added tax (VAT), the total fee stands at Tk 230. This fee was earlier only Tk 57.50.
Transport organizations alleged that the increased fee was imposed ‘forcibly’ without any discussion or consultation with the key stakeholders.
Earlier, after an emergency meeting last Thursday evening, three major organizations – Chittagong Inter-District Goods Transport Association, Chittagong Truck and Covered Van Workers Union and Prime Mover and Flatbed Owners Association – issued a joint statement.
“We handle about 85 percent of the port’s cargo operations. It was essential that we, as a major stakeholder, be consulted before such a significant and major change. We have protested and requested the fee to be withdrawn, but the port authority has not taken any action,” the organisations said in a statement.
The final decision taken at a meeting last Thursday was that entry of all types of vehicles into the port would be ‘temporarily suspended’ from 6 am on Saturday until further notice, demanding the withdrawal of the increased fee. The leaders of the organisations have urged their members and all concerned parties to strictly abide by the decision.
Meanwhile, port users have expressed concern over the voluntary strike by prime mover owners. They fear that the situation will worsen if the standoff continues. Therefore, they have called on the stakeholders to sit for talks to normalise the situation at the earliest.