Forty-two luxurious vehicles, imported under duty-free privileges by former Awami League MPs, have been lying at Chattogram Port for the past five months, creating complications for the National Board of Revenue (NBR). The NBR has decided to auction the vehicles as per regulations, following the failure of the ex-MPs to clear the vehicles after the fall of the Awami League government. This move is expected to generate at least Tk 400 crore in additional revenue for the government. According to sources, these high-end vehicles have been parked in the port’s car shed since September 14 last year. Importers were supposed to clear them by October 14 but failed to do so, prompting the port authority to transfer the paperwork for 24 vehicles to the Chattogram Custom House for auction. The Chattogram Custom House has already requested the importers to pay customs duties totalling Tk 8.5 crore for 24 vehicles. But traders are concerned that the high duties might deter buyers. Budget 2024-25: Parliamentarians to lose provision for duty-free car import Chittagong Port Authority officials said the vehicles, imported by former MPs using duty-free privileges, remain unclaimed due to the MPs fleeing after the student-led movement that toppled the government. Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Customs House Mohammad Saidul Islam said, “If the importers pay the required customs duties, the vehicles will be cleared. Otherwise, they will be auctioned.”

A consignment of 24, 690 metric tonnes (MT) of parboiled rice arrived at Chattogram Port from India on Thursday morning. Joint Secretary to the Ministry of Food Md Lutfor Rahman said  Indian vessel ‘MV.TANAIS DREAM’ carrying the rice left Kakinada sea port of Andhra Pradesh on December 22 and anchored at outer anchorage of the Chattogram port on Wednesday. It finally anchored at the Jetty No-11 of the port early Thursday, he said. Read: 24, 690MT Indian rice to arrive Ctg port tomorrow

A consignment of 24, 690 metric tonnes (MT) of parboiled rice will arrive at Chattogram Port from India early Thursday to tame the local market. Indian vessel MV.TANAIS DREAM carrying the consignment will anchor at the sea port around 5:30am, said a media release of the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday. It is the first batch of rice imports from India since Dr Muhammad Yunus-led interim government assumed office. Read: 3,320 mts rice imported from India thru Benapole in 25 days The consignment of rice is being imported under a deal inked between the countries on November 11. After the physical test  the consignment will be released soon, it reads.

The much-anticipated Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) of Chattogram Port commenced operations today (June 10, 2024), marking a significant milestone for the port and the country. A container vessel, the Singapore-flagged ‘MAERSK DAVAO,’ anchored at the terminal this morning, initiating regular handling activities. Authorities anticipate the terminal will handle approximately 500,000 Twenty-ft Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually. PCT is the first terminal in Chattogram Port’s history to be operated by a foreign company, heralding a new era of foreign investment and operational models. This transformation has positioned Chattogram as a landlord port, a significant upgrade for Bangladesh’s maritime infrastructure. Ctg Port resumes partial activities after Cyclone Remal Six months ago, the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) signed an agreement with the Jeddah-based Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) of Saudi Arabia. Following customs formalities and equipment installations, Red Sea Gateway Bangladesh Limited has now officially commenced operations. Omar Faruk, Secretary of CPA, confirmed that RSGT is fully prepared to manage container handling at the newly built terminal. According to the CPA, the new terminal will not only enhance the port’s capacity but also reduce the average stay time for vessels. Constructed at a cost of Tk 150 crore, funded by the port, the PCT features state-of-the-art facilities, including gantry cranes that significantly increase loading and unloading efficiency. Rear Admiral Md Sohail, Chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority, noted that it would take approximately 18 months for the terminal to become fully operational. The PCT was built on 32 acres of land near Chattogram Drydock Limited to Boat Club, with the foundation stone laid on September 8, 2017. The project, supervised by the 34 Engineer Construction Brigade of the Army, commenced construction in 2018, involving a total cost of Tk 1,230 crore. Parliamentary delegation explores Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar in Ctg With the new terminal, vessels will no longer need to wait at the outer anchorage for extended periods, as the Patenga Container Terminal can accommodate four vessels at once across its jetties. This increased capacity is expected to alleviate congestion and streamline operations at Chattogram Port.

A large container vessel having a draught of 10 metres and length of 200 metres will anchor at the Chittagong Port for the first time on trial basis on Sunday, according to Chattogram port officials. Enhancement of the port’s berthing capabilities will increase its container handling capacity, reduce transport costs and turnaround times- the time required for loading and unloading of goods at the port, they said. The port authorities have completed all kinds of preparations including increasing the depth of the Karnaphuli River estuary and skills development training of the operators. According to the port authorities, vessels having only 9.5 metres draught and 195 metres length have been anchored at the port jetty since 2015. However, after receiving a positive response from the survey of UK-based consultancy firm 'HR Wallingford', the port took the initiative to handle larger vessels. The 10-metre draught ships will be able to carry 3,500 TEUs containers to the port and bring down the overall cargo handling costs. Chief Hydrographer of Chittagong port authority Commander Arifur Rahman, said in view of the report provided by the research institute, the large vessels' berthing trial run will begin on Sunday. "If it becomes successful in this trial operation, the port will soon notify local and global shipping companies to operate bigger vessels on this route. Later, we will allow berthing when big ships arrive, added the commander" Also Read: Freight operation from Ctg suspended as lighter vessel workers on strike With the development, Chattogram port will notify shipping companies for allowing ships with bigger draught on this route, said Khairul Alam Suzan, vice-president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association. Bigger ships will reduce the cost of import-export significantly and huge money will be saved annually, he said. Having the capacity to handle larger vessels  is essential for expanding trade, he said adding people involved sector and export-import trade have long been demanding an increase in the berthing capacity of the Chattogram port but the port authorities did not do it without a proper survey, he added.    

Workers at the Chattogram Seaport on Sunday unloaded 15 bogies of a train and other equipment imported from China for Padma Bridge Rail Project, an official said. Of the 15 bogies, eight were unloaded on Saturday while the rest were unloaded on Sunday at No 12 jetty of the port, said Omar Faruque, secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority. Another 85 bogies will reach the port from China over next few months, he said. Read more: Akhaura-Agartala rail link to open in June 2023: Railway Minister

As water transport workers went on a countrywide strike from midnight, unloading at the outer anchorage of Chattogram port remained suspended on Sunday. Following the call of Noujan Sramik Sangram Parishad, workers suspended movement of lighter vessels, oil tankers used to unload goods from big ships anchored at Chattogram port’s outer dock from 12am. Vice President of Bangladesh Lighter Vessels Workers Union, Nabi Alam, said that the indefinite strike was announced on November 15 to press home their 10-point demand, including minimum wage set at Tk 20,000. Red more: Passengers suffer as Barishal water transport workers go on indefinite strike The general workers have stopped unloading goods from midnight and lighter vessel movement from 18 private terminals at Majhir Ghat and Sadarghat areas, he said. The strike is going on simultaneously at Dhaka, Barishal and Chandpur, major regions connected by waterways. Water transport services on 18 routes from Barishal came to a standstill as water transport workers there embarked on a strike, causing woes to passengers. In Chandpur, movement of 40 launches, including 25 that ply on Chandpur-Dhaka route, remained suspended from Sunday morning. Other demands of the workers are: providing appointment letter, identity card and service book to workers; formation of Contributory Provident Fund and Seafarer Welfare Fund to provide food and sea allowances; providing Tk 10 lakh compensation for accident and death while on duty. Read more: Water transport workers to go on strike from Nov 26 Besides, water transport workers also want relaxation of restrictions on night-time movement of sand-carrying bulkheads and dredgers, stopping terrorism, extortion and robbery on waterways, stopping harassment along the Indian border in providing landing passes to workers travelling to India, 100% enforcement of goods transport policy at Chattogram port, and cancelling lease at Charpara Ghat and stopping all kinds of irregularities and mismanagement by the Department of Shipping.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday asked master operator( Mechanical Division) of Chattogram Port Authority Azam Khan  and his wife to submit their wealth statements. Deputy Director of ACC Public relation office Muhammad Arif Sadeq told UNB, a notice was issued in this regard. Read:Ranjit Kumar Roy in ACC's crosshairs The notice sought statements declaring all immovable or movable properties acquired in their own names and their dependents. The source of income and the detailed information on how those were acquired will have to be submitted to the ACC within 21 working days of receiving the notice.

An imported high-speed patrol boat for Chattogram port’s internal communication has arrived from Italy MV Songa Cheeta, the container ship carrying the boat, was berthed at the CCT jetty of the port on Sunday, said the port authority. It arrived at outer anchorage on Saturday completing a 26-day journey starting from Italy’s Salerno port on April 18. The speed boat bought from Italy has cost the port authority Tk 22 crore. It will be used for fast movement of port pilots from Patenga to Matarbari deep sea port and to avoid unexpected accidents at outer anchorage. Also read: First container ship leaves for Italy from Ctg port with RMG goods The boat with 16.5 meters length and 1.2 meters depth was made at FB Design yard in Italy. The boat has modern navigational equipment, satellite radar, satellite compass, two engines, three generators and other necessary instruments. The boat can carry 16 passengers at a time and will be able to turn on its own if it capsizes due to catastrophic weather, said the authority. Also read: Crew of sunken ship stranded in Kolkata for 5 weeks; out of money, may stop getting food Md Omar Faruq, Secretary of Chattogram port authority said, “The boat can be unloaded after 300 containers. A total of 10 staff, officials of the port’s shipping department are being trained to operate the boat.” “The boat will be sent for trial operation after unloading and clearance from customs. After trial it will be kept at the service jetty of berth-1,” he said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the India’s northeastern states like Assam and Tripura can use Bangladesh’s Chittagong seaport by strengthening the connectivity between the two neighbouring countries. "If the connectivity is increased, the Indian northeastern states -like Assam and Tripura- can have access to the seaport in Chattogram," she said. The premier said this when visiting Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met her at her official residence Ganobhaban on Thursday afternoon. PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting. Hasina said an initiative has already been taken to reopen the cross-border routes which had been shut down in 1965. During the meeting, both of them expressed happiness at the state of the existing bilateral relations between the two countries. Read: Jaishankar in city to meet PM Hasina Hasina said high-level visits between the two countries give impetus to carry forward the relations. Jaishankar said the bilateral issues are being reviewed and it’s progressing well. Besides, different issues including defence  cooperation, water sharing of Kushiara and Feni Rivers, current Covid situation and impacts of Russia-Ukraine war on the global economy came up for the discussion. Foreign Senior Secretary Masud Bin Momen, PMO Senior Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami were present. Jaishankar arrived here on a day’s visit on Thursday.