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Published : 20 Sep 2025, 07:41 PM
The recently announced steep increase in Chattogram Port fees has been postponed for a month, Shipping Advisor M Sakhawat Hussain has said.
On Saturday, he confirmed the development, saying discussions were held with the port chief on the matter.
“We have agreed to push it back by one month,” he said, adding that the deferment is effective immediately.
The fee hike, raising charges by up to 41 percent across different port services, was issued on the night of Sept 14 and implemented the following day, prompting objections from port users and traders.
They claim that such a steep fee increase would ultimately burden consumers. Port users had proposed raising charges by 10 to 15 percent.
Referring to the misconcenptions surrounding foreign investments in port, Sakhawat said: “I’ve also said that no worker here will lose their job. This transaction took place from one place (NCT) to the dockyard; has anyone lost their job? I asked everyone, and they said ‘Sir, we are very happy’. Everything’s happening systematically.”
He added, “The Chittagong Port has been around for 140 years, and many people still don’t recognise it. We’ve given them a plan to connect Rampur, Barishal, and Khulna.”
“If you cannot accept international investment, we will remain where we are.”
He said, “I hope we can sign the agreement by November, or at least by December. The World Bank has also requested that the agreement be signed quickly. All paperwork will be completed by this year, and the next government will begin the work."
