Business bodies seek urgent govt support over flood disruptions at Ctg Port

Leading business associations have urged the government to take immediate measures to restore operations at Chattogram Port and provide financial and policy support to industries affected by recent flooding.

In a joint letter addressed to Shipping Minister Shaikh Robiul Alam, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) said the floods and waterlogging have severely disrupted port operations and road and rail connectivity.

The organisations warned that delays in cargo handling and transportation have put imported raw materials, food products, chemicals and export-bound goods at risk, while shipment delays could lead to export order cancellations, financial penalties and higher logistics costs.

The business leaders also expressed concern over a recent Chattogram Port Authority notice rejecting compensation claims for flood-related cargo damage, urging the government to conduct an independent investigation into the losses and ensure fair compensation if infrastructure or management failures are found responsible.

The associations called for temporary waivers of demurrage, detention, storage and port charges, faster customs clearance for essential goods, concessional working capital loans, loan repayment relief, and extensions of deadlines for letters of credit (LCs), exports and import procedures.

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They also proposed forming a high-level inter-ministerial task force comprising representatives from relevant ministries, Bangladesh Bank, the National Board of Revenue, Chattogram Port Authority and business organisations to coordinate relief efforts and restore normal trade operations.

The letter was jointly signed by BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem, BTMA President Shawkat Aziz Russell and CCCI President Mohammad Amirul Hoque.