United News of Bangladesh

Despite political unrest earlier in the year and recurrent floods, Chattogram Port has witnessed a record-breaking year in 2024, registering a 7.42% growth in container handling compared to 2023. Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman, chairman of the Chattogram Port Authority, disclosed the information on Wednesday during a visit to port activities. The port handled a total of 32.76 lakh containers and 12.39 crore metric tonnes of goods during the year. Cargo handling also saw a 3.11% growth. Dr Yunus asks fire probe committee to submit recommendations in 10 days “Chattogram Port has achieved the highest volume of container and cargo handling in its history in 2024,” Moniruzzaman said. Besides, the port recorded a revenue income of Tk 5,055.99 crore, a 21.39% increase from the previous year’s Tk 4,165.18 crore. The revenue surplus stood at Tk 2,948.97 crore, marking a 37.60% rise compared to the previous year’s Tk 2,143.10 crore. The revenue expenditure was Tk 2,107.2 crore, which is 4.20% less than last year’s Tk 2,202.8 crore. Sources said Chattogram Port, ranked 67th among the world’s 100 busiest ports, has been facing several challenges in recent years. CMP issues 13 guidelines for 31st night celebrations in the port city The ongoing dollar crisis led to restrictions on luxury goods imports, slowing container and cargo handling at the port. In 2023, container handling dropped to 3.05 lakh metric tonnes, while cargo volume fell to 12.2 crore metric tonnes. Moreover, the student-led movement in July and August this year and devastating floods in September further impacted the country’s economy.

- A cargo vessel named ‘Trans Samudera’ arrived in Chattogram Port on Tuesday carrying an Indian transit container to be transported to the Northeastern State of India (Assam) via the territory of Bangladesh. This movement of cargo is part of the trial runs being undertaken for the operationalization of the agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla ports for the transit of goods to and from India which was signed between Bangladesh and India in 2018. The trial run is being undertaken by Tata Steel and CJ Darcl Logistics Ltd. on the route Chattogram-Sheola-Sutarkandi, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. There are eight approved routes for transit of goods under the agreement, namely, Chattogram/Mongla port to Agartala via Akhaura, Chattogram/Mongla port to Dawkivia Tamabil, Chattogram/Mongla port to Sutarkandi via Sheola, Chattogram/Monglaport to Srimantapur via Bibirbazar and vice versa on all four routes. Read: Transit: First cargo ship from India arrives at Mongla port for trial run During the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2019, a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) was signed to operationalize the agreement. The first trial movement under this agreement on the route Chattogram-Akhaura-Agartala was “successfully” conducted in July 2020 wherein four containers, two each of TMT steel and pulses, were delivered at ICP (Integrated Check Post) Agartala from Kolkata through Chattogram, said the high commission. The transit or transshipment of goods under this agreement will reduce both cost and time for transport of goods to Northeastern States of India. It will also create economic gains for the Bangladesh logistics and services industry (insurance, transport and finance industry) as only Bangladesh trucks will be used for transshipment, said the high commission. In the coming few days, a trial run is expected to be done on the Dawki-Tamabil-Chattogram route which will mark completion of trial runs on all approved routes under this agreement, it said. As per the understanding reached earlier this year between the two governments, a necessary permanent standing order/notification would be issued by the government of Bangladesh after completion of these trials for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under this agreement, said the high commission.

A Ukrainian cargo plane with an eight-member crew on board crashed near Kavala city in northern Greece on Saturday evening, Greek media reported. The Antonov An-12 plane was on route from Serbia to Jordan as the pilot requested permission for an emergency landing and notified Greek authorities of failure in one of the engines, Greek national broadcaster ERT reported, citing sources from the Greek Civil Aviation Authority. Eyewitnesses saw the plane in flames crash in a cornfield and explosions followed. Read: Russian forces destroy world's biggest cargo plane Mriya in Ukraine A rescue operation was still underway with special units of disaster personnel approaching the site with precaution, given the yet unconfirmed information that the plane carried 12 tons of cargo including ammunition, ERT reported, citing sources in local authorities. Power cuts have been reported in communities near the crash site, as the plane cut electric power cables before the crash, it added. ■