BGMEA, others asked to ensure cargo delivery during holidays to avoid post-Eid congestion 

Chittagong Port Authority has instructed all stakeholders, including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), to ensure cargo delivery during holidays of Eid-ul-Adha so that there is no congestion after Eid.

The port will remain operational during the holidays, except for an 8-hour break on Eid day.

The BGMEA, in response to the port authority's call, has formed two monitoring cells to facilitate cargo clearance and delivery for garment factory owners.

"We have established two monitoring cells in Dhaka and Chattogram to ensure that garment owners take delivery of their goods during the Eid holiday. Instructions have also been given to the garment owners regarding this matter. We hope that the situation will not be like the previous years," Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, BGMEA vice president, told TBS

During the Eid holiday, many transport workers go to their hometowns, creating a shortage of transportation for goods, he said. "We expect transport owners to arrange for a sufficient number of vehicles to keep the port's operations running smoothly," Rakibul said.

During the previous Eid holidays, congestion occurred because importers, primarily BGMEA members, kept their operations closed, leaving their goods unreleased at the port, said officials. 

The congestion subsequently hampered the handling of goods for other importers and exporters, making it challenging to normalise operations after the holiday, they said.

"As in previous years, the port will remain operational during this Eid holiday. However, this time we expect importers, especially garment owners, to take delivery of their imported goods during this period. To prevent congestion at the port, all stakeholder organisations should actively participate from their respective positions," Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Md Omar Faruque told TBS.

15 directives issued

Meanwhile, the port authority has issued a notice with 15 directives to keep the port operational during the holiday, except for 8 hours on Eid day.

To ensure the seamless shipment of export-loaded containers during and after the Eid holiday, the port authority has instructed continuous communication among stakeholders, including freight forwarders, off-dock operators, main line operators, feeder operators, terminal/berth operators, C&F agents, shipping agents, and the goods transport owners association.